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Kerrie Lowery’s Breast Cancer Fight Fund

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Kerrie Lowery is a single mother of two amazing teenage daughters, Macy, 15 and Molly, 13, residing in Harmony, FL (Osceola County).  She has worked in the field of education for 22 years, teaching first grade, acting as a Literacy Coach, and currently teaching 6th grade in St. Cloud, Florida.  As if raising two teenage daughters on her own isn’t challenging enough, Kerrie was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in March 2019.

In August of 2018, Kerrie had a routine mammogram which came back normal.  In late January of 2019, she began noticing pain on the left side of her chest, which she attributed to the fact that she would be turning 47 at the end of the month...the joys of getting older!    By mid February, she noticed a lump.  She made an appointment with her primary care doctor, who scheduled further tests.  On March 22nd, Kerrie had a diagnostic mammogram and an ultrasound.  On March 26th, she had a biopsy and was told it would be 3-5 business days before the results were in. However, the next morning she got a call telling her that she would need to see the surgeon that day.  Her sister was on the phone with her as she relayed the information, and she was beginning her school day with pleasant “Good mornings” as she welcomed her students to class, as if nothing were wrong.
 
Kerrie saw the surgeon before noon and was told she had 3 masses - all 3 malignant. At the time, it was believed that the cancer was staged one and the lymph nodes tested were clean. This was good news as far as a cancer diagnosis goes....but then she was told it was triple negative breast cancer.  A smaller percentage of all breast cancers are triple negative. There is less research on triple negative breast cancer and therefore less treatment options.  It’s a nasty, aggressive form of breast cancer with a high rate of recurrence.

On April 3rd, Kerrie had an MRI and a back x-ray, followed by an appointment with her radiologist and then her oncologist on the 4th. The radiologist and oncologist told her different news based on the latest tests - the cancer is at least a solid Stage 2,  possibly a 3 (not a 1 as originally told), with the largest tumor being 4 cm.  The radiologist explained that it wouldn’t matter if the cancer were Stage 1 or Stage 3, the aggressive treatment plan would remain the same because she is young, the cancer is triple negative, and the tumors grew quickly.

Kerrie had an ECG (to ensure her heart is strong enough for the chemotherapy being used) and a port placement on April 9th.  Before her treatment plan could begin, she still needed to have a CT of her abdomen, pelvis, chest and a full body bone and brain scan to ensure the cancer had not traveled beyond her breast. These were completed April 11th and on the 15th she found out they were CLEAN!  Three days later, chemotherapy began.

Kerrie’s treatment plan, as of now, is chemotherapy weekly for 12 weeks, with a combination of two drugs.  She is currently heading into week 6. Then she will have chemotherapy every other week for eight weeks with a second combination of drugs known as “the red devil”.  Then she will take a 4-6 week “rest” followed by a double mastectomy and a second 4-6 week “rest”.  Six weeks of daily radiation will follow and then another 4-6 week “rest”, after which she will have reconstructive surgery and a hysterectomy, due to the nature of this beast.
Throughout all of this, Kerrie will be working as much as she can, probably more than she should.  She is concerned that she will run out of sick days before the treatment plan is finished.  As a single parent on one income - when all of the sick days have been used, she will no longer get paid for time off.  Her family is concerned because she is often  working when she really needs to be at home resting and recovering.  Kerrie  has already found that chemotherapy treatments wear her down and make her sick, and that more appointments (and time off from work) are needed  than she originally realized for things such as hydration, additional anti-nausea medicine, and shots to boost her bone marrow when her numbers are low.

Kerrie has always been responsible first, and fun, if there’s time.  She hates to ask for help.  She has made comments about “not wanting to use up all of her favors” when needing help with things that she used to handle alone.  When asked if it would be okay to start a GoFundMe, she reluctantly agreed, stating that “It sure would help with all of the bills coming in”.  She has requested that we not make the goal too large....she will appreciate, as will we, any assistance that anyone can afford.  As her sister, I am hopeful that it eases her burden enough so that she is able to take time off to give her body the rest it needs in order to recover before the next treatment. It will also help with the thousands of dollars she will spend over the next two years covering insurance deductibles, medicines, and out of pocket medical costs.  The help she has already received, from transportation to appointments, specially prepared plant-based meals for her, to "normal" meals and snacks for her daughters, and rides for Macy and Molly in order to keep their lives “as normal as possible” throughout this journey, are greatly appreciated.  Her parents and siblings also want to thank those who have offered assistance (Kerrie's church "family", school "family", and neighborhood "family") because we, unfortunately, are scattered throughout the country, but are making trips to Florida as frequently as possible to help in any way we can.

What inspires Kerrie to fight?  Her daughters, family, friends and her faith. She knows that God's got this.  He is in control and she holds on to His promises.  She finds comfort and strength in His word.  (Isaiah 41:10)  "So do not fear, for I am with you...I will strengthen you and help you".  (Phil 4:4-7) "Rejoice in the Lord always...Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." 

Prayers are appreciated as well, for Kerrie Beth and her girls, Macy and Molly.
God Bless♥️,
Kerrie’s dad, Jack McCartin,
Her mom, Betty Marshall, and her
brothers and sisters:
John (Lori) McCartin
Bonnie (Stan) Moore
Steve (Joette) Luken
Tim (Laura) Luken
Kathy Luken
Sarah (Mark) Breon
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    Organizer and beneficiary

    Stan Moore
    Organizer
    Saint Cloud, FL
    Kerrie Lowery
    Beneficiary

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