Rebekah Howerton
Donation protected
As most of you know, I was diagnosed with Stage I breast cancer in 2015 at the age of 31. I had a recurrence of Stage IV breast cancer less than 6 months later after my mastectomy. I've been exceptionally fortunate to receive excellent care at Emory's Winship Cancer Institute in Atlanta and I lead a very normal life, all things considered. Honestly, if you just met me, you'd probably never know I've been living with cancer for years.
As recently as this February I was having clear scans and my body was showing no evidence of cancer. The good news is that research is going further and new drugs are coming to market faster to help patients like me. I know that I will come out of this surgery ready to keep going! My son needs me!
Everything changed again on May 8, 2019 when I had a mild seizure while out of town on a work trip and a CAT scan showed two tumors on my brain. Aside from being shocked and scared, I knew that my team of doctors would need to perform brain surgery to remove the two tumors and that this new treatment plan would give me the best possible outcome. An added benefit of surgery is the option for immediate genomic sequencing, meaning that the pathology team at Emory can determine if the cancer has mutated into a different receptor status, constituting new therapies and targeted drugs. I still have many, many options and have full faith in this treatment plan. A lot of my success is due to integrative cancer care and supporting my immune system throughout the various treatments. And, you guessed it, immune support (clean eating, immune infusions, high dose Vitamin C, supplements, etc) is not covered by insurance.
While I'm lucky enough to have health insurance through my job, brain surgery and the months of recovery will take a significant financial toll on this single mom with a mortgage. I will also need many rounds of post-surgical radiation this summer. I have applied for Social Security Disability but that takes a minimum of 5-6 months to see anything, no matter how extreme my circumstances are. I'm very grateful for the short term disability plan through my employer but this will be a significant adjustment to live on 60% of my salary for a couple months while I take the much-needed time to focus on my health and make a full recovery. Honestly, America is basically the worst if you're sick. I could go on a rant about how healthcare is a human right, but my life is already a testament to that. My healthcare team and I are very confident that I will make a full recovery from surgery and continue kicking ass! Surgery is set for Tuesday, May 28 at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta with Dr Daniel Barrow, a top neurosurgeon.
Also, I would love for you to listen along with me in virtual solidarity while I'm in surgery on Tuesday May 28. I've created a special Whitney playlist and you'll be joined by my crazy family, friends, healthcare team and breast cancer community around the world: https://open.spotify.com/user/q0mt3pvp7rwfmm4zhekr2o4zu/playlist/0yeQlpRE4YAJen7PXvmZfW?si=EMd_qkyPQ36eilH6I0-RxQ There is healing power in music!
The photo below is from a couple years ago (my son is now almost 12) but he is just as protective of me. This boy is my why. Godspeed my friends and I will update here after surgery!
As recently as this February I was having clear scans and my body was showing no evidence of cancer. The good news is that research is going further and new drugs are coming to market faster to help patients like me. I know that I will come out of this surgery ready to keep going! My son needs me!
Everything changed again on May 8, 2019 when I had a mild seizure while out of town on a work trip and a CAT scan showed two tumors on my brain. Aside from being shocked and scared, I knew that my team of doctors would need to perform brain surgery to remove the two tumors and that this new treatment plan would give me the best possible outcome. An added benefit of surgery is the option for immediate genomic sequencing, meaning that the pathology team at Emory can determine if the cancer has mutated into a different receptor status, constituting new therapies and targeted drugs. I still have many, many options and have full faith in this treatment plan. A lot of my success is due to integrative cancer care and supporting my immune system throughout the various treatments. And, you guessed it, immune support (clean eating, immune infusions, high dose Vitamin C, supplements, etc) is not covered by insurance.
While I'm lucky enough to have health insurance through my job, brain surgery and the months of recovery will take a significant financial toll on this single mom with a mortgage. I will also need many rounds of post-surgical radiation this summer. I have applied for Social Security Disability but that takes a minimum of 5-6 months to see anything, no matter how extreme my circumstances are. I'm very grateful for the short term disability plan through my employer but this will be a significant adjustment to live on 60% of my salary for a couple months while I take the much-needed time to focus on my health and make a full recovery. Honestly, America is basically the worst if you're sick. I could go on a rant about how healthcare is a human right, but my life is already a testament to that. My healthcare team and I are very confident that I will make a full recovery from surgery and continue kicking ass! Surgery is set for Tuesday, May 28 at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta with Dr Daniel Barrow, a top neurosurgeon.
Also, I would love for you to listen along with me in virtual solidarity while I'm in surgery on Tuesday May 28. I've created a special Whitney playlist and you'll be joined by my crazy family, friends, healthcare team and breast cancer community around the world: https://open.spotify.com/user/q0mt3pvp7rwfmm4zhekr2o4zu/playlist/0yeQlpRE4YAJen7PXvmZfW?si=EMd_qkyPQ36eilH6I0-RxQ There is healing power in music!
The photo below is from a couple years ago (my son is now almost 12) but he is just as protective of me. This boy is my why. Godspeed my friends and I will update here after surgery!
Organizer
Rebekah Howerton
Organizer
Roswell, GA