Please help Amanda Vecchio Armstrong

On 3/13/19 Amanda Vecchio Armstrong was diagnosed with Invasive Lobular Carcinoma Breast Cancer. Over the next few months, she learned about what would happen. She went through mammograms, MRI, & genetic testing.  More then 10 cancerous lesions were found on the right breast, and one non-cancerous on the left.  The plan was to have a mastectomy, and the need for either one or both sides, would be determined.

Amanda said that one of the hardest things was to tell her 4 children.  Watching the faces of a 10, 12, 16 and 18 year old, all lost and with questions.   She says daily that she is blessed to have her amazing husband Jared by her side,  every step; along with her unbelievable in-laws, understanding coworkers, PAWZ clients and workers, her great friends and family!

With the pending mastectomy, Amanda decided to slow down with her PAWZ clients—no more vacations or new clients for now.  She decided to take a little step back from independently rescuing, and rehoming animals, while still helping Where the Love Is Rescue, Inc. and working with Wallingford Animal Control.  This was very upsetting for Amanda, as helping all  animals is her passion—but she had too.

Fast forward to yet another appointment, and Amanda was being faced with the idea of a bilateral mastectomy. They did not advise/suggest she get one. After weeks of toying with the questions in her head, and conversations with her husband of: What if it develops/spreads in the left?, What if I don’t like the way I look? What if I’m not making the right decisions? What if?....she made her decision.  At her next appointment, she told the surgeon she would do the bilateral mastectomy. They told her she would have less chances of it returning, recuperation time is the same, insurance should cover it, and she would be under longer.

On Wednesday, May 8, Amanda went in for her bilateral mastectomy. During surgery, her surgeon discovered some of her lymph nodes were also cancerous (changing her treatment plan to now include radiation and/or chemo).  Today is one week post-op, she is home, and adjusting both physically and mentally. Amanda has follow-up appointments tomorrow and Friday.  During these appointments, Amanda will find out her treatment plan: whether or not she will need radiation, or both radiation and chemo therapy.  Not only will Amanda continue to be out of work while she recuperates from her surgery, she will be unable to work during a good portion of her treatments. As she is young, and thankfully otherwise healthy, her treatment plan will likely include aggressive therapy.  In addition to Amanda’s inability to work, her husband Jared is not working—in order to be by her side, and care for her, and their children.  While her treatment plan is to be determined in her upcoming follow-up appointments, we are hoping the community of people this incredible woman has touched, will come to her assistance. No donation is too small! Please help us help Amanda—who herself has gone out of her way to do so much for others.