STAGE 4 METASTATIC BRAIN CANCER

HELP ME Fight Stage 4 METASTATIC BRAIN Cancer ❤️

My name is Jessica VERNEKAR

. I'm a wife, a mother of two beautiful boys, ages 10 and 6, and I'm fighting for my life against Stage 4 breast cancer that has spread to my brain.

My nightmare began on June 12, 2023. I went to a hospital in Cocoa Beach, Florida, with a worsening wound on my right breast. I was treated for what doctors believed was an infection, given antibiotics, and discharged with instructions to see a surgeon.

When my husband tried to arrange the follow-up appointment, we were told I couldn't be seen because we didn't have insurance.

For months, I lived with an open wound, changing bandages while desperately searching for health insurance. My condition kept getting worse.

In October 2023, I went to a hospital in Rockledge and was transferred to Orlando Health. That's when my world shattered. I was diagnosed with aggressive triple-negative breast cancer, with a Ki-67 score of 60%.

During my hospitalization, a punch biopsy was attempted on my already damaged breast, followed by tissue samples being taken with scissors. The experience was painful and traumatic for me.

After approximately five days in the hospital, chemotherapy still hadn't started, and we were facing another wait for outpatient oncology treatment.

My husband feared we were running out of time. He made the difficult decision to take me to India.

When I arrived in India, my cancer was tested again, and the Ki-67 score was 90%! That number showed just how aggressive the cancer was. I had already endured months of suffering, painful procedures, and fear.

In India, I immediately began aggressive cancer treatment, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation, and surgery.

I fought with everything I had. Thankfully, my cancer responded to treatment.

In May 2024, I returned home to Florida with hope. I thought I had been given a second chance at life.

I established care with an oncologist, AMIT BAROCHIA continued immunotherapy, and followed my INDIAN doctors' instructions to report any changes in my health.

By August 2024, I was experiencing extreme tiredness and sluggishness. In September, I reported headaches and other concerning changes. A PET scan was performed, but I never received a dedicated MRI of my brain.

Months passed, and my symptoms continued.

On March 27, 2025, I became so sick that I was vomiting, dizzy, and struggling to stand. My husband rushed me to the emergency room. Despite my cancer history and symptoms, I was discharged with a diagnosis of acute dizziness, without any imaging of my brain.

We trusted the doctors and went home.

But I wasn't getting better.

On April 4, 2025, my husband took me back to the same emergency room. He insisted that something was seriously wrong and pushed for a brain scan.

This time, the scan revealed something that shattered our entire world.

TWO TUMORS IN MY BRAIN.

One measured **2.8 centimeters, approximately the size of a large grape.**

The other measured **1.5 centimeters, approximately the size of a small grape.**

Imagine having two grape-sized tumors inside your brain, surrounded by dangerous swelling. The pressure was so severe that my brain's midline had shifted approximately 8 millimeters.

Suddenly, the dizziness, vomiting, and difficulty standing made terrifying sense.

I'm not angry simply because my breast cancer spread to my brain. I understand that cancer can spread.

What breaks my heart is that I kept reporting my symptoms. I kept trying to explain that something wasn't right. I trusted my doctors, believing they were looking after me. Yet I felt like nobody was listening.

Even on March 27, when I went to the emergency room with those symptoms, I went home without a brain scan.

I cannot know exactly when those tumors began growing, but I keep asking myself: How long had they been there? Could they have been discovered sooner? Could some of this suffering have been prevented?

After everything my husband and I went through to fight breast cancer, we were facing another devastating battle.

Today, I'm still fighting metastatic breast cancer, and serious neurological complications.

And here I am, fighting for my life again.

My husband has become my caregiver while raising our two young boys, managing our household, schooling our children, and driving me to Tampa for ongoing cancer treatment.

Emotionally, physically, and financially, this journey has taken an enormous toll on our family.

To everyone who has followed our family's journey since my first cancer diagnosis, thank you for being there for us. Your love and support have meant more than you could ever imagine.

I never thought I would be sharing another cancer battle, let alone asking for help.

But today, I am.

We are raising funds to help with medical expenses, travel for treatment, and essential household needs while we continue this fight.

If you are able to contribute, we would be incredibly grateful. If you cannot, that's okay too. Sharing my story and keeping our family in your thoughts and prayers means so much.

I wouldn't wish what I've been through on anyone, not even my worst enemy.

I don't know what tomorrow holds. Some days I'm scared. Some days I'm exhausted. But every morning I wake up and see my children, I find another reason to keep fighting.

I don't want anything extraordinary.

I just want more time.

More time to watch my boys grow up. More birthdays. More family dinners. More hugs. More ordinary days together.

**My boys are only 10 and 6. They're still so young. They need their mommy, and I'm not ready to say goodbye.**

I'm still here. I'm still fighting. And I'm holding on to every bit of hope I have. ❤️

Thank you for reading my story and standing beside our family.

With love and gratitude,

**Jessica Vernekar & The Vernekar Family ❤️**