Nurse Holly's Cancer Fight

Three months ago, I found a lump in my breast. Boarding the plane to my brother's wedding, I was diagnosed with cancer at 30 years old.

I have triple negative breast cancer, stage 3, a rare form that only 10-15% of people get. It likes to grow fast and spread easily. They don't know how it grows. Words like "you may need a clinical trial" and "your 5-year odds are about 71%" floated around. My genetic testing came back negative. We don't know how I got it.

If you're reading this, I'm already grateful for you. Sharing this story has been a way to reclaim my power in a situation that has made me feel mostly powerless.

I've been receiving chemotherapy for nearly 3 months. I need 6 months of chemo, a double mastectomy with reconstruction and lymph removal, and radiation. I don't know yet what follows because it depends on how my body responds to therapy.

I have not been able to work as a nurse at all since this started, which has been challenging because my 7+ years of nursing in the inpatient setting, especially in the ICU during the pandemic, have provided me with SO much meaning and purpose in my life.

If you're able, your donation will help me pay for my medical bills and living expenses during this hard season. Even with insurance (which I'm so grateful for), these bills have been accumulating.

Finding my cancer when I did likely saved my life. If it had spread to other organs, my survival odds would be drastically lower. (Reminder: check your breasts!)

Warmly,

Holly