Power Julie & Zach Turner to Battle Julie's Cancer

Hello, my name is Samantha Huge and I am raising money for Julie and Zach Turner to assist with Julie's medical bills, rent and other living expenses as Julie battles an extremely aggressive form of Stage 4 breast cancer.

I have known Zach since he was in high school and met Julie after she and Zach married, but have grown closer to Julie in recent months after I completed my own treatment journey for breast cancer and Julie was beginning hers - not what any of us want to bond over, but I am so thankful to have gotten to know Julie and how amazing of a young woman she is.

Zach and Julie live near Charlotte, NC with their three children (ages 19, 14 and 8) and family pets. Julie works as a dental assistant and Zach is a 7th grade history teacher and coach at Covenant Day School in Matthews.

Zach will continue to work and while Julie has worked through the first 6 months of her treatment, the time has come for Julie to focus on her own health and not work as she courageously battles this horrific disease. As you'll read below, this was not an easy decision as Julie is a hard worker, selfless caregiver, and puts others before herself at all times.

The time has come for Julie to be on the receiving end of the kindness and care she has so freely given to others over the years so that she can have her full strength to battle and defeat this disease!

Discovery, Diagnosis, and Treatment

On Mother’s Day Weekend 2023, Julie discovered a lump and shortly thereafter was diagnosed and began treatment for a highly aggressive form of breast cancer at only 36 years old. She has no family history or any genetic marker. What was originally diagnosed as early stage ER/PR positive/HER2 positive with some lymph node involvement in May has metastasized to her spine and is now stage 4.

Julie has already undergone 16 rounds of chemotherapy during which she was hospitalized on two separate occasions - one for nearly two weeks due to her port becoming infected; she battled a blood stream infection, sepsis, and weathered her port being removed and replaced. During one of her scans, doctors discovered thyroid cancer and then the lesion on her spine.

Julie has continued to work through her treatment, even though peripheral neuropathy caused by chemotherapy caused terrible pain and numbness in her hands and feet, making it difficult and sometimes impossible to use the fine motor skills needed for her job as a dental assistant. As I said, she is one tough young lady!

A little more about Zach and Julie...

Julie was born and raised in east Tennessee, where she and Zach met in 2007 while they were both working at a local bank. Julie is a natural care-giver; the kind of person who always takes care of others before herself and would do ANYTHING for friends and family, not to mention a stranger in need or a lost animal. Julie is smart, driven, caring, spiritual, fun, and selfless. She loves to get out in nature (hiking, kayaking, etc.) and enjoys music, reading, photography, painting, and baking - especially her world-famous incredible cupcakes.

Zach was born and raised in Charlotte, NC. I have known Zach since he was in high school. Zach attended, played basketball, and graduated from Charlotte Christian School, where he played for my dad and with my youngest brother. His dad was our family dentist and his mom was like a big sister to me when I lived in Charlotte in the late '90s. They were dear friends of our family. Zach went on to attend and graduate from the University of Tennessee, where he played basketball (GO VOLS!).

Julie and Zach married in 2010 and moved back to Charlotte where they have lived since - Julie working as dental assistant and Zach teaching history and coaching. Julie cared full-time for Zach's mom for nearly 3 years after an accident rendered Deb a quadriplegic until she passed away in December of 2021.

They love to host parties for friends and family for any occasion, but especially for Tennessee football games. They enjoy family time - traveling, live music and concerts, going to the lake, the mountains, playing board games and of course, watching their beloved Vols!

What's next and how can we help?

On January 25, 2024 Julie will undergo surgery for a double mastectomy, followed by at least six weeks of daily radiation. During that time, another surgery will remove her thyroid. In addition to the 16 rounds of chemo, she will endure at least a year of targeted therapies, potentially more chemo, further surgeries on reproductive organs, ongoing scans, procedures, and treatments.

Julie will not be able to work for at least 4 months, possibly longer. Please help ease the burden on this amazing family that gives so freely of themselves!