Evelyn's Fight to Destroy Breast Cancer

While getting ready one recent morning, Evelyn noticed a change that catapulted her into a state of immediate shock and concern.  She wasted no time in making an appointment with the doctor, got a referral for a mammogram, then an ultrasound, and ultimately a biopsy.  A few days later we got the results, and it was confirmed that Evelyn has breast cancer.  Two masses were found: Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) and Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC), with the latter term of “invasive” referring to it having invaded the neighboring axillary lymph nodes.  The news came as a shock, though following the initial surge of emotions, Evelyn knew what she had to do.  This was now a fight for her life, and no matter what news could follow, she would be determined to win this fight. 

The coming weeks consisted of a barrage of tests (bone scan, CT scan, MRI, blood tests, genetic screening, etc.) to determine exactly what we are dealing with.  After what seemed like an eternity, we finally got some news.  We are blessed and fortunate that it has not metastasized past the lymph nodes and that the characteristics are more treatable than they potentially otherwise could have been.  Although the treatment plan will continue to evolve as we know more about the pathology of the cancerous tissue, we are confident in the treatment plan that our great team of doctors at Kaiser are pursuing.  Our oncologist Dr. Ahmed stated in no uncertain terms that she is taking the course of action to keep Evelyn healthy for another 50 years (and by the look on her face I knew she wasn’t playing around!).  That was when I knew she is truly in our corner, however I’m looking to keep my amazing wife around for at least another 70 years, so we have some room for improvement in the estimate…

Evelyn will undergo a mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation in the course of the next year or more, all while simultaneously working to complete her master’s degree in marine biology at Cal State Fullerton.  It will be a difficult journey, but she is more of a fighter than anyone that I have ever known, and I know she will emerge from this stronger than ever before.  I also know that she won’t rest with beating cancer – Evelyn has already expressed how she wants to be and advocate for breast cancer awareness to young women, and her story is particularly relevant.  It is a humbling realization that Evelyn was lucky to find out when she did. Current guidelines are for women to get regular mammograms at 40 years of age, and Invasive Lobular Carcinomas (~10% of breast cancer diagnoses) do not commonly present as masses.  As a 33-year-old woman, she would have easily not received care at a more treatable stage.  Less than 2% of breast cancer cases are in women under the age of 35, which often means their preventative screening is entirely ignored.  Awareness and personal advocacy are the only means of helping this age group until medical guidelines are changed.

Your donation to this fundraising campaign for Evelyn will help alleviate the financial burden of the following medical expenses:

·        Mastectomy (scheduled for the end of March)
·        Chemotherapy (~4 weeks post operation)
·        Radiation
·        Reconstructive surgery
·        Other long-term medication (still TBD based on tumor oncotype      DX testing)
·        The disruption of lost work hours
·        Our efforts to care for Evelyn in the pursuit of comprehensive body and mind wellness (exercise, nutrition, etc.). 

We are very appreciative of any and all help that we receive during this journey, and we hope that in return we will be able to help others live long and happy lives.