One November evening in 2015, I got a text from my dear friend Tara that her 29 year old sister, Elyse, was just diagnosed with breast cancer. Tara was reeling, as her mother fought breast cancer at age 45, and she could not believe this was happening at an even younger age to her beloved sister, who had recently given birth to her third beautiful baby. Following this shocking diagnosis, Tara, Elyse, and their mother underwent genetic testing which revealed that all three women were BRCA-1 positive. Having this genetic abnormality meant that Tara’s chances of getting breast cancer increased drastically, and due to her family’s history, she would likely be diagnosed at an early age. With only two years between herself and the onset of her sister’s cancer, Tara made the brave decision to pursue a bilateral mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. This surgery decreases her chances of getting breast cancer to nearly 0%, literally saving her life. Just to give you an idea of the type of person Tara is, she made her decision public in order to help raise awareness about BRCA-1 and the risks involved.
Following the genetic testing, Tara underwent numerous tests and procedures to determine if she already had cancer. This included two mammograms, an MRI, an ultrasound, and a biopsy. Thankfully, she is cancer free at this time and able to move forward with the surgery to prevent a future diagnosis. She has also been meeting with surgeons and oncologists, planning for her 8-10 hour long surgery which is scheduled for September 23, 2016. And throughout this incredibly stressful personal struggle, Tara has been supporting the rest of her family as Elyse fought her way through chemo and her own double mastectomy and reconstruction, and her mother underwent an additional surgery to prevent the cancer from coming back. She has supported her family through spending time with her nieces and nephew, making meals, and organizing a meal train site to gather the community around her sister during her battle.
My significant other, Stephen, and I were privileged to meet Tara when she started dating our friend from childhood, Donny. Since then, we have seen first-hand what an amazingly sweet human being she is and the happiness she has brought our dear friend. Fortunately for us, Donny hasn’t been the only one spoiled by Tara’s mouth-watering cooking, and her gracious hospitality is second to none. In addition to being a supportive and caring partner, she and Donny have opened their hearts and home to two adorable rescue dogs, Chloe and Ranger.
Since the beginning of 2016, our incredibly sweet and selfless friend has been making payments on a slew of medical bills, all while preparing for a strenuous surgery and long, painful healing process. She is expecting to be unable to work for 8-10 weeks, during which time Short Term Disability only covers 60% of her lost wages, to say nothing of the time Donny will spend transporting her from one appointment to another and supporting her through her recovery.
This is where we all come in. Stephen and I are reaching out to the extremely supportive network of family, friends, and members of our community to ask for help in relieving some of the financial burden. Life-saving preventive surgery is not something anyone expects to pay for in their 20s, and any amount helps relieve some of the immense stress that this family has been under for such a long time. Please consider, even just once, skipping your morning latte or packing your lunch, and instead putting that money to better use by helping this amazing woman in her struggle to pursue a preventative surgery that could end up saving her own life. A few examples of what the funds raised through this site will be used for are surgery and reconstruction, medical bill payments (current bills are for two mammograms, MRI, ultrasound, biopsy, surgeon and oncologist consultations, and an anticipated five day hospital stay), bills and expenses that add up while Tara is recovering and unable to work, and any other unanticipated costs that might come with this fight. Please also note that any donations that aren’t used to help pay off Tara’s medical bills and cover her recovery expenses will be promptly donated to help others in the fight against breast cancer. Thank you all for reading and for considering Tara’s road ahead.
Following the genetic testing, Tara underwent numerous tests and procedures to determine if she already had cancer. This included two mammograms, an MRI, an ultrasound, and a biopsy. Thankfully, she is cancer free at this time and able to move forward with the surgery to prevent a future diagnosis. She has also been meeting with surgeons and oncologists, planning for her 8-10 hour long surgery which is scheduled for September 23, 2016. And throughout this incredibly stressful personal struggle, Tara has been supporting the rest of her family as Elyse fought her way through chemo and her own double mastectomy and reconstruction, and her mother underwent an additional surgery to prevent the cancer from coming back. She has supported her family through spending time with her nieces and nephew, making meals, and organizing a meal train site to gather the community around her sister during her battle.
My significant other, Stephen, and I were privileged to meet Tara when she started dating our friend from childhood, Donny. Since then, we have seen first-hand what an amazingly sweet human being she is and the happiness she has brought our dear friend. Fortunately for us, Donny hasn’t been the only one spoiled by Tara’s mouth-watering cooking, and her gracious hospitality is second to none. In addition to being a supportive and caring partner, she and Donny have opened their hearts and home to two adorable rescue dogs, Chloe and Ranger.
Since the beginning of 2016, our incredibly sweet and selfless friend has been making payments on a slew of medical bills, all while preparing for a strenuous surgery and long, painful healing process. She is expecting to be unable to work for 8-10 weeks, during which time Short Term Disability only covers 60% of her lost wages, to say nothing of the time Donny will spend transporting her from one appointment to another and supporting her through her recovery.
This is where we all come in. Stephen and I are reaching out to the extremely supportive network of family, friends, and members of our community to ask for help in relieving some of the financial burden. Life-saving preventive surgery is not something anyone expects to pay for in their 20s, and any amount helps relieve some of the immense stress that this family has been under for such a long time. Please consider, even just once, skipping your morning latte or packing your lunch, and instead putting that money to better use by helping this amazing woman in her struggle to pursue a preventative surgery that could end up saving her own life. A few examples of what the funds raised through this site will be used for are surgery and reconstruction, medical bill payments (current bills are for two mammograms, MRI, ultrasound, biopsy, surgeon and oncologist consultations, and an anticipated five day hospital stay), bills and expenses that add up while Tara is recovering and unable to work, and any other unanticipated costs that might come with this fight. Please also note that any donations that aren’t used to help pay off Tara’s medical bills and cover her recovery expenses will be promptly donated to help others in the fight against breast cancer. Thank you all for reading and for considering Tara’s road ahead.
Organizer and beneficiary
Tara Garman
Beneficiary