A Nurse in Need of Nursing

Wendy Brehe, a career registered nurse, patient and pet advocate, and cancer survivor is in need of immediate financial assistance. 12 years ago, Wendy was diagnosed with a stage 2/3 invasive ductal carcinoma with a positive node. 1 day after Wendy’s 51st birthday, she had bilateral mastectomy followed by 18 weeks of chemotherapy. During this past summer (2017), Wendy was not feeling well and sought medical treatment. During her assessment, a mass was discovered on her right chest wall. A biopsy was finally done and the results showed a NEW cancer, not related to the first, which is triple positive this time, more aggressive than the first cancer, and again stage 2/3. On 10/30/17, Wendy will have surgery to remove the mass followed by 18 weeks of a 4-drug chemotherapy regime. One chemo drug will continue for a year following the surgery. Somewhere in the middle of all of this, Wendy will receive radiation, 5 days/week for 5 weeks. All of the treatments will take place in Rapid City, SD which is 120 miles per day round trip. Wendy has never put herself first in any project, endeavor, or challenge she has undertaken. Wendy presently adopts older dogs at the end of their life so “they won’t be alone when the time comes.” Wendy has given her life to serving others in her capacity as a nurse. She worked for many years at the local VA medical center followed by the South Dakota Veterans Home. Most recently, Wendy felt called to challenge herself again working for Home Health/Hospice. How ironic that she was called to be with cancer patients in their time of need. Perhaps it is because what better person to serve than one who can talk the talk and walk the walk. Surgery, chemo, radiation, and being out of work for recuperation have and will take a major blow to her finances. As it is now, Wendy has had to dip into her retirement fund she earned working for the VA. Wendy would never ask for anything rather she would offer to help any of us in our time of need, and her many friends, patients/residents, and pets would attest to that. This fund is set up by the many people that love Wendy and want to, in some small way, assist her in her recuperation just as she would for you and me.