Hello everyone,

My name is Danielle, and my fiancé is Eric. I am a former teacher and Eric is a High School college counselor. We meet 10 years ago as colleagues working in education and built a love stronger than no other. It truly breaks my heart to hunt for the words to explain how my diagnosis has derailed our world. On May 21, 2022, I became engaged and on June 8th I turned 30 years old. I thought I would spend the next year planning a wedding but unfortunately, that was not the case. On August 1st everything changed.

6 years ago, I noticed a lump develop on my left nipple. After numerous biopsies revealed that it was benign, I began to lose trust in the medical process—I knew something was wrong. As the lump increased in size and discomfort, I pushed to get the lump removed. Roughly 5 months ago Eric and I were told the horrifying news that I was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) Breast Cancer.

What was supposed to be a routine removal of a fibroid adenoma, ended up being the beginning of an unexpected nightmare. A few months later we prepared for winter in our new home and our boiler, without warning, stopped working and needed a total replacement. At the same time, our basement was experiencing a water issue that required us to fully waterproof it; the combined cost of both these projects was roughly $19,000. We used the money we saved for a wedding, and a loan, to fix our home. It seemed that we could not escape difficulties, in fact, it felt like they were stuck to us.

Following the two successful surgeries I can proudly say that all the cancer was removed, and my surgeons declared that “I am cancer free”. Unfortunately, there is still more to process, and I will truly never be “rid” of cancer. With every decision I make moving forward in my life, cancer will always be at the forefront of my mind. To ensure that cancer does not rear its ugly head back around, I must start radiation. My radiation treatment is slated to begin in mid-February, and I don’t have much time to complete the steps of securing healthy embryos before my radiotherapy.

What sparked the initial surgery to remove what we thought at the time was the benign lump, was our plan to soon start a family and for me to be able to breastfeed. While our lives have changed dramatically since, our goal to start a family has not changed and may need to happen sooner than expected due to my treatment and the advice of my medical team.

After multiple opinions from various oncologists and radiologists, it was recommended that we proceed with the process of freezing eggs/embryos before beginning radiation to better protect our opportunity to procreate due to my overall health and age. Following radiation, we have been approved to try and conceive naturally but have a limited amount of time as I am supposed to begin treatment of Tamoxifen no more than 1.5 years from my diagnosis. I will need to be on Tamoxifen for up to 10 years and during this period it is highly advised not to get pregnant, as this medication can cause birth defects. The process of conceiving post-radiation is therefore timed for us, with embryos increasing our chance of getting pregnant dramatically post-radiation. Yet again, this proved to be another unexpected cost as we went to various fertility clinics only to be quoted options upwards of $20,000 for fertility treatment.

After diligent research we have found a clinic that we feel comfortable with and supported by, that will be able to aid in the process for roughly half the cost of $11,000. Unfortunately, our insurance does not cover fertility, as apparently beginning a family is not seen as a necessity, and therefore we will have to come out of pocket for the total cost.

Any donations will be transformational in helping us fulfill our dream of being able to start a family and move through this cancer journey. We have asked so much of our friends, family, and network, and we are more than grateful for all the support we have already received. It pains me to make this page, but I have learned we cannot do this alone. Any additional support you can provide monetarily will be truly appreciated. If you have any questions, please reach out to Eric directly as this topic is still difficult for me to speak about.

Thank you does not seem like nearly enough to show our gratitude but, THANK YOU once again.

-Danielle and Eric