Vanessa's Cancer Fund
Donation protected
#pinkfornessy
First of all, thank you for visiting this page. We are a group of mamas (many who have never even met in real life!) who are coming together to help our dear friend Vanessa Petrarca as she undergoes treatment for breast cancer. We hope you can help.
Vanessa’s diagnosis has been very fast. She noticed something was wrong while nursing Lela, asked some of us Facebook hipmamas if it seemed like mastitis and immediately went for an exam. The exam revealed a lump the size of a lime in one breast. It has been identified as malignant, invasive ductal carcinoma, spread to the lymph node. Vanessa, in her true spirit, is taking every step with strength and her unique sense of humor continues to shine through.
Right now, the oncologists are testing her cancer to see how aggressive it is (the “least aggressive” has been ruled out). She will have a surgical port installed on 8/20 – just one day after seeing the oncologist. Following that, she will need 4 months of chemotherapy which will likely result in a bilateral mastectomy. Vanessa and Dave are lucky to have health insurance and family medical leave, but with 3 small children and one income, even the cost of copays weigh heavy on their budget. Funds from this GoFundMe will help Vanessa and Dave stay on their feet while she fights this cancer. There will be medical bills but there will also be time spent off work for Dave, child care needs, medications and many other necessities. Vanessa deserves all the support she can get. Please give as generously as you can.
Over a decade ago, a mish-mash crew of mamas and mamas-to-be found each other on a blog forum at hipmama.com. Inspired by the irreverent nature of The Hip Mama Survival Guide by Ariel Gore, we spent countless hours sharing pregnancy woes, struggles with toddlers and teenagers, moments of parenting pride, and moments of utter frustration. Vanessa (always “Nessy” to us) was an amazing member of that community – whether she was sharing another picture of her sweet babies or showing off her mischievous smile from beneath a fringe of hot pink hair- Nessy was always there with a generous, kind heart that we could feel through the computer screen. When the hipmama blogs ended and Facebook and Instagram rose to their place in our social media lives, that old crew of hipmamas kept in touch. We friended and followed each other and continued to nurture friendships that defy geography.
Today we are surrounding Vanessa with our love, our vibes, and our support as she faces her recent breast cancer diagnosis. Vanessa is the amazing mother of three vibrant children, David (9 years old), Izzy (4 years old) and Lela, who is only 1 year old. If you have seen her Instagram page, you know how gorgeous and full of life her children are! Her husband, Dave, and Izzy’s godmother, Melissa, are the only family she has living near her. Vanessa’s mother is also battling cancer. Even though we can’t be there with her, we want to support Vanessa in every way that we can.
Nessy, we love you and we’ve got your back!
First of all, thank you for visiting this page. We are a group of mamas (many who have never even met in real life!) who are coming together to help our dear friend Vanessa Petrarca as she undergoes treatment for breast cancer. We hope you can help.
Vanessa’s diagnosis has been very fast. She noticed something was wrong while nursing Lela, asked some of us Facebook hipmamas if it seemed like mastitis and immediately went for an exam. The exam revealed a lump the size of a lime in one breast. It has been identified as malignant, invasive ductal carcinoma, spread to the lymph node. Vanessa, in her true spirit, is taking every step with strength and her unique sense of humor continues to shine through.
Right now, the oncologists are testing her cancer to see how aggressive it is (the “least aggressive” has been ruled out). She will have a surgical port installed on 8/20 – just one day after seeing the oncologist. Following that, she will need 4 months of chemotherapy which will likely result in a bilateral mastectomy. Vanessa and Dave are lucky to have health insurance and family medical leave, but with 3 small children and one income, even the cost of copays weigh heavy on their budget. Funds from this GoFundMe will help Vanessa and Dave stay on their feet while she fights this cancer. There will be medical bills but there will also be time spent off work for Dave, child care needs, medications and many other necessities. Vanessa deserves all the support she can get. Please give as generously as you can.
Over a decade ago, a mish-mash crew of mamas and mamas-to-be found each other on a blog forum at hipmama.com. Inspired by the irreverent nature of The Hip Mama Survival Guide by Ariel Gore, we spent countless hours sharing pregnancy woes, struggles with toddlers and teenagers, moments of parenting pride, and moments of utter frustration. Vanessa (always “Nessy” to us) was an amazing member of that community – whether she was sharing another picture of her sweet babies or showing off her mischievous smile from beneath a fringe of hot pink hair- Nessy was always there with a generous, kind heart that we could feel through the computer screen. When the hipmama blogs ended and Facebook and Instagram rose to their place in our social media lives, that old crew of hipmamas kept in touch. We friended and followed each other and continued to nurture friendships that defy geography.
Today we are surrounding Vanessa with our love, our vibes, and our support as she faces her recent breast cancer diagnosis. Vanessa is the amazing mother of three vibrant children, David (9 years old), Izzy (4 years old) and Lela, who is only 1 year old. If you have seen her Instagram page, you know how gorgeous and full of life her children are! Her husband, Dave, and Izzy’s godmother, Melissa, are the only family she has living near her. Vanessa’s mother is also battling cancer. Even though we can’t be there with her, we want to support Vanessa in every way that we can.
Nessy, we love you and we’ve got your back!
Organiser and beneficiary
Rachel Hella Oakland
Organiser
Oakland, CA
Vanessa Petrarca
Beneficiary
