Staci's fight against Breast Cancer

UPDATE: JUNE 29TH, 2023

Hi Everyone, I wanted to give you all a quick update! As you may have noticed, we've just increased the goal for Staci as her treatment plan has changed a bit since we last wrote this, and is going to be longer than expected. On behalf of Staci, I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone that has donated and shared this Gofundme, the love and support is seen, felt and beyond appreciated. 

Staci finished up 22 rounds of chemo almost two months ago. After her chemo finished, she had an individual mastectomy in her right breast where they were able to do a reconstructive implant at the same time. This has been followed by 28 days of radiation therapy, she has a few more sessions to go before that is complete. Fair to say, it's been a damn lot!

The unfortunate news is Staci has been told she will have to do another 6 months of chemo

(tbc when that will start). This chemo will be in pill form so will look a little different. Although she had a mastectomy there was still cancer in her lymph nodes so she had additional removals under her armpit. The road hasn't been easy and there have been setbacks, frustrations with the surgeries and most of all, the inability to work. The money that everyone has donated has been used for the long daily drives to the hospital, food and just regular day-to-day expenses and bills. With the news of another 6 months of chemo, it means another 6 months of not working and needing support. So with that, I hope we can continue to share this Gofundme, donate if you can, and send all the love to our Staci. 

Thank you!

ORIGINAL POST (February 22nd, 2023)

This past spring, our dear girl Staci went to have a breast exam after feeling a lump in her left breast. Fast forward a few months and a few doctor's appointments later, and Staci was told she had an aggressive, and rare, form of triple-negative breast cancer.

As most of you might be aware by now, Staci decided to (temporarily) move back to Australia to be with family and also under the care of the wonderful doctors at the Olivia Newton-John hospital in Melbourne.

Staci is living a few hours outside of Melbourne with her sister Jordan, Jordan's partner and two kids (and the cutest pup)

In September Staci started chemotherapy, which started as bi-weekly, and after a few months changed to weekly. The chemo is down to the final two sessions, and as this is written Staci has found out the next steps which are, unfortunately, not as positive as we were hoping.

Although the chemo shrunk the tumor considerably, Staci was told a mastectomy might not have to happen and as of today, we found out that is not the case. Staci will have a mastectomy. This has been a shock and is being processed by Staci and her loved ones.

Staci has held off for over 6+ months from asking for help, but with the news of the surgery, a 7-hour operation, a 6-week recovery, and after 6 months of chemo, she needs her community, friends and family to rally around her. Before surgery happens, Staci has to allow the chemo to leave her body (one month +). After the surgery happens(6-week recovery), Staci is still likely to have one month of radiation.

This has been a long fight, that Staci is doing with such grace and strength.

As we all know, the financial stress that comes with a cancer diagnosis is an unfair burden, let alone the difficulty of asking for help. We want to help alleviate that burden for Staci with this GoFundMe. Staci hasn’t been able to work properly since her diagnosis. Although she damn well tried and worked at a local salon during chemo ( even when she felt like sh*t).

As we all are so far away and the usual things as friends we would be doing like making meals, doing laundry, taking her to appointments, and just simply hanging out, we can't. We hope we can all rally together to donate, no amount is too small, to show her some much-deserved love!

The finances will go to her daily living costs, groceries, prescriptions, doctor's fees, gas to get to appointments, shipping her items from NYC to Melbourne, and just the usual things one needs on a day-to-day basis.

We'll make sure to keep everyone updated and in the loop. Staci also has a PO box if you want to keep her updated with snail mail or send small gifts. You can reach out to her for that, and of course, texting and face timing is highly encouraged- you might not always get a response, but believe us - the contact means more than you know. Also, you can follow along on her journey where she gives updates on what life with cancer is like, on her dedicated Instagram: @i.love.staci

We know Staci's friends and family group is spread far and wide, and times like these show how love, kindness and friendship are what truly matter in the world.

With so much love and gratitude

Staci's friends, family and of course, Staci

xx