Jackie's Recovery & Support Fund

“...People, let me tell you about my Best Friend….” She’s my younger sister, Jackie.  I remember being little and visiting with our Dad and when it would be time to head home, he would give us hugs and kisses and say to Me, “Take care of your little sister..” Those words were forever engraved in my brain.  I was the oldest and she was three years younger than me.  We never fought as siblings sometimes do and I never really realized what a great treasure I had in her.  Jackie grew up and fast.  She left home at an early age and began her own little family.  Not much later she moved away to Modesto.  Through the years we kept in touch but I didn’t get a chance to see her very often.  As her family grew up, she did too.  Jackie moved back to San Jose area after splitting with her husband in 2012 and of course I brought her home with me.  She slept on my couch for a few months and when it was time she was able to get a place of her own to where she could have her grandbabies and children come visit.   She accepted a position at the same company that I am employed with and I now get to see my sister Every.Single.Day.  That brings much joy to me and I did not even realize how good we have it.

Now, if you know Jackie, you know she can’t stay still for too long.  She’s always on the go with so much energy.  Three weeks ago she took on a second job so that she could pay her bills and she wouldn’t feel so stressed out.  She was taking care of business and things were going well for her.  

Then we get the call.  Her doctor’s office called her while she was at work to give her the news. I was so angry!  Why did they rudely make this call while she was at work and not while she was home sitting on the sofa and maybe relaxing for the evening?  She walked over to my desk and had this scared look on her face and simply said, “My Doctor called!”  Immediately the tears started to well up.  I did not understand what she was trying to tell me though.  She said, “They say I have Cancer!”.  As I scramble around to find a conference room where we can catch our breath and regroup, I can hear my dad’s voice in my ear again, “take care of your little sister”.  WHAT THE HELL?!  That afternoon call shook us to the core.  After almost 6 months of repeated mammograms, ultrasounds and biopsies that all turned out to be benign, Jackie was diagnosed with  non-invasive ductal carcinoma (otherwise known as breast cancer).  The dreaded C word!  How I despise this f’n word!  So many of my family members have been affected over the past few years and just recently our own Mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer too!  Why is it that we get to be attacked twice?!

In an effort to console ourselves, we are reminded that this is Stage Zero; that it has been caught very early; that she will survive, but nothing seems to take the fear of “what if?” away.  How am I going to take care of my little sister?  Obviously surgery is the next step and she has elected to have a bilateral mastectomy to remove all traces and ensure herself a higher percentage so that this monster does not come back.  This means that she will need time off of work for doctor appointments, surgery, reconstructive surgery and of course time to heal.  Jackie is very strong and used to taking care of things herself and this is really going to take a toll on her emotionally and financially.  I don’t want her surgery and recuperating time to be spent worrying about which doctor bills are adding up.  She should be stress free and just let her body handle the healing.

In her honor, ​I ​am starting​ a ​"​gofundme​"​ account to help ​her get through this horrific time.  I am reaching out to her amazing and supportive network of family and friends to help, in any and every way, shape and form. Any donation is welcome and greatly appreciated.  It will be a huge help for the next 6 months as her journey begins on September 29, 2016.    

Thank you so much!!