Supporting Nicole (Punky) through breast cancer
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Nicole Bernier, known by many as Punky, is my younger sister by 3.5 years. It is for her that I am setting up this Go Fund Me page in hopes that we can help relieve the financial burden for her during this difficult time.
On July 4th Punky was conducting a routine breast exam and discovered she had a lump in her left breast. She then contacted her doctor who had her come in and confirmed the lump in her breast. From there her doctor set up an appointment with Bennett Breast Care Center in Lewiston for July 9th where they conducted a mammogram as well as an ultrasound. A week later she met with a PA who said the ultrasound showed one large lump in her breast as well as two other smaller lumps. The PA then said a lymph node in her left armpit appeared enlarged and that she said there was a good chance it was cancer. Although the scans pointed to cancer Punky still needed to have a biopsy taken from both sites which was completed on July 14th.
July 20th Punky met with an Oncologist who diagnosed her with stage 1, phase 2 breast cancer. Although nobody wants to hear they have cancer, we were all relieved that it was caught at an earlier stage. The decision was made to have a double mastectomy, but surgery would not be preformed until Punky completed six months of chemotherapy treatment. The goal of this treatment is to hopefully shrink the lymph node instead of removing it in hopes that the lymph node can remain intact. After her six months of treatment she will then undergo surgery in hopes to remove the cancer. If the chemo was not successful in shrinking her enlarged lymph node they will then remove it and check the surrounding lymph nodes.
Punky's first chemo treatment was Monday, for 4 hours, which she will do 2 times per week for the first 2 weeks. She will then drop down to 1 time per week for a total of 6 months. With the combination of the side effects chemotherapy presents, along with a weakened immune system working during this time is very dangerous. Punky is employed at St. Mary's hospital where there are Covid patients along with many other illnesses so it is ideal she remains out of work until after her surgery. With her being out of work she of course is not receiving any income, that is were we come in. Punky really needs our help so she does not feel obligated to go to work (which she is currently doing) although she is already not feeling very well. Please donate what you can, and if you can not contribute please share this in hopes we can help her reach her goal. Thank you very much on behalf of my sister and the Bernier family!!!
On July 4th Punky was conducting a routine breast exam and discovered she had a lump in her left breast. She then contacted her doctor who had her come in and confirmed the lump in her breast. From there her doctor set up an appointment with Bennett Breast Care Center in Lewiston for July 9th where they conducted a mammogram as well as an ultrasound. A week later she met with a PA who said the ultrasound showed one large lump in her breast as well as two other smaller lumps. The PA then said a lymph node in her left armpit appeared enlarged and that she said there was a good chance it was cancer. Although the scans pointed to cancer Punky still needed to have a biopsy taken from both sites which was completed on July 14th.
July 20th Punky met with an Oncologist who diagnosed her with stage 1, phase 2 breast cancer. Although nobody wants to hear they have cancer, we were all relieved that it was caught at an earlier stage. The decision was made to have a double mastectomy, but surgery would not be preformed until Punky completed six months of chemotherapy treatment. The goal of this treatment is to hopefully shrink the lymph node instead of removing it in hopes that the lymph node can remain intact. After her six months of treatment she will then undergo surgery in hopes to remove the cancer. If the chemo was not successful in shrinking her enlarged lymph node they will then remove it and check the surrounding lymph nodes.
Punky's first chemo treatment was Monday, for 4 hours, which she will do 2 times per week for the first 2 weeks. She will then drop down to 1 time per week for a total of 6 months. With the combination of the side effects chemotherapy presents, along with a weakened immune system working during this time is very dangerous. Punky is employed at St. Mary's hospital where there are Covid patients along with many other illnesses so it is ideal she remains out of work until after her surgery. With her being out of work she of course is not receiving any income, that is were we come in. Punky really needs our help so she does not feel obligated to go to work (which she is currently doing) although she is already not feeling very well. Please donate what you can, and if you can not contribute please share this in hopes we can help her reach her goal. Thank you very much on behalf of my sister and the Bernier family!!!
Organizer and beneficiary
Michelle Poisson
Organizer
Putnam, CT
Nicole Bernier
Beneficiary