Anna's GoFundme Breast Cancer!

“One Day at a Time” was my 2022 promise. In January of 2022, I was very busy with wedding date requests, studio appointments and traveling to clients. After having worked behind the chair for more than 20 years, I wanted to transition my career to reflect more of a work/life balance, and so I started to venture into new techniques that could help women with hair insecurities, and although it was fulfilling, I took on more than I could handle. I wasn’t taking it “one day at a time ,” and my body was telling me to slow down. By March of 2022, I felt that my body was telling me that something wasn’t right. It began with some sharp pains in my chest area which I thought might be a result of trying new hair techniques that overly stressed my arms. But I felt it again sometime in April/May, and by July of 2022, during a self-exam, I felt something in my breast, and I knew I needed a mammogram right away. I had an appointment in early August and was only able to schedule a biopsy 20 days later. The idea of waiting that long to find out whether it was cancerous or not was unbearable. So I called almost every day to see if I could get in earlier, and I called different places to see if I could be seen sooner - it was impossible to find an earlier appointment. So after a week of calling and filling out papers for other places to have the procedure done earlier, I thought maybe instead I should be thinking about these 20 days as being the start of my “one day at time.” My one day at a time to enjoy this time I have before my son begins first grade. My one day at a time to enjoy the rest of the summer with my family and make memories. My one day at a time to listen to what my body needs. My one day at a time to be present. The week before my 43rd birthday, I was diagnosed with stage 2 invasive breast cancer. Before I knew it, I had appointment after appointment with doctors and surgeons and the amazing team at Dana Farber – all working together to come up with a plan to make sure I get through this. I had to cancel all the weddings I had booked for 2022-2023 and to let my clients know that I will not be able to work for a while, as I couldn’t promise anything while going through chemotherapy. While I take it one day at a time, I am unable to work due to my weekly chemo infusions followed by surgery and radiation plus more surgeries. Our medical insurance will only cover part of my treatment and I am asking for any financial help you can donate as I fight through this disease with my loving husband and my beautiful son right by my side. I never thought this is how I would have to slow down, but so it is. I’m fighting for my life one day at a time, and we appreciate, with so much gratitude, all the love and the help you can find it in your heart to give.