Aid Nikki Sanderson in Her Cancer Fight

Hello. I'm Jan Freeze. I set up this account for my daughter Nikki Sanderson who was diagnosed with Triple Negative Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (an aggressive breast cancer) with Bone Metastasis. She is only 37 years old.

Please support Nikki who was diagnosed with systemic scleroderma (a cousin to multiple sclerosis) in February 2023. Here’s an overview of this journey which began less than two months ago…

On June 5, 2024 she went to the ER with flank pain. She has a history of kidney stones thanks to the scleroderma. Tests proved a kidney infection and a CT scan found a small lump in her right breast.

A gynecologist appointment was scheduled for a breast exam on 6/7. The doctor did not feel the lump. He scheduled a mammogram for 6/21. The mammogram revealed the lump is cancer and deep in the tissue. A biopsy was scheduled for 6/24. Also, bloodwork was done for hereditary cancer genes; all 48 resulted negative. Great news! She has no genes that passed to her two teenage daughters. The biopsy resulted in triple negative breast cancer, clinical stage 1 due to presentation and 1.7 cm in size. A surgeon appointment was scheduled for 7/2. A double mastectomy was scheduled for 7/15. A live biopsy of lymph node will be done and possible removal. With scleroderma prohibiting radiation use, chemo will be following surgery. On 7/9 Nikki returned to the ER with flank pain again. New abdominal CT scan discovered a new cyst on her right ovary and a new para-aortic cyst in the middle of her chest. A PET scan was ordered: Nikki's ENTIRE skeleton lit up, none in ovarian cyst area. A bone biopsy of her spine was ordered.

**PSA:: Spinal biopsy should automatically mean the patient is under anesthesia so the barbaric act of a hammer and chisel to the spine does not get experienced by the patient but that is what occurred!!!!!** Obviously she couldn't lie still during the procedure so they did have to put her to sleep.

The spinal biopsy resulted positive for metastases. STAGE FOUR!!! No surgery will be done. Chemo began 7/25 for four sessions at every other week, then twelve weekly sessions. 5 days after Nikki's first chemo she spent 4 days in the hospital for dehydration because she couldn't eat or drink for 3 days. Her white and red blood cell counts bottomed out also which called for a blood transfusion. Her oncologist has now scheduled fluid infusions 4 days after chemo.

This has been a whirlwind in such a short time. How quickly things change. Nikki is only THIRTY-SEVEN YEARS OLD. Preventative mammograms begin at age FORTY. She would have been dead before 40 if this had not been detected now. She is meant to be here with her family and friends, to continue serving the community in pharmacy roles as she has since 2007.

Harshly, the reality is we will be lucky to get 5-10 more years with her IF the chemotherapy treatments actually work. She has 16 and 17 year old daughters who need her around as long as possible.

Please help us ease our minds, and hers, to focus on healing. Please donate toward payment of bills and copays in support for her family, as Nikki is unable to work through this harsh situation of chemo and everything that goes with it.

Also, please keep Nikki and her daughters in your prayers.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.