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My name is April Lynn Rogers and I am a 39 year old African American veterinarian and entrepreneur born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. I started Dr. April's Hollywood Mobile Vet in January of 2018.
On the night of July 24th, 2020, after another beautiful day caring for canine and feline companions, and their humans, I noticed a lump in my left breast. I rushed to get it checked, as soon as I could during a pandemic (yikes!) and got my very first mammogram, ultrasound, and breast biopsy on July 29th. The radiologist called me on Monday, August 3rd, informing me that I have invasive ductal carcinoma (ER+, PR+, HR/Her2- , Grade III) of my left breast. Follow up on August 5th revealed a nearby calcification with ductal carcinoma in situ surrounding the nodule, also ER+,PR+, HR/Her2-.
I spent the following month consulting with breast surgeons, reconstructive surgeons, radiation and medical oncologists to form a team to manage my diagnosis. All along, I understood my condition would necessitate surgery and starting an estrogen suppressant. I figured I would be unable to work for 3 to 4 months tops! However on September 15th, I met my medical oncologist. I can still hear her words. She said, "April, you are too young to be my patient." Based on my age, total lack of genetic predisposition for this, and the fact that the cancer cells are grade III (meaning they are multiplying quickly), my oncologist strongly advised I undergo a 5-month long chemotherapy protocol prior to surgery. She explained that her goal was to take care of the cancer we cannot see. She would rather "over-treat" me than be conservative, and find ourselves wishing we had been more aggressive 10-15 years from now. Without hesitation, I said OK. On September 17th, I underwent a battery of blood tests, an EKG, an echocardiogram, a repeat breast biopsy (my initial hospital refused to release tissues to my Cedars-Sinai doctors, where I transferred my care) in preparation for my new chemotherapy protocol. On September 21st, my intravenous port implant was placed and I started chemotherapy on September 24th.
I am currently in my 4th week of chemotherapy (12 weeks of Taxol followed by an 8-week course of Doxorubicin and Cytoxan), which will take me well into January of 2021. Once completed, I will be undergoing surgery. At this time, I have elected double mastectomy with DIEP Flap reconstruction. This surgery can last 8 to 12 hours and the usual recovery period is 6 weeks without complications, hopefully culminating in full remission and recovery by May 2021.
The funds I am requesting are for medical bills. My insurance premiums total $1200/month and my maximum out of pocket is $4500 for 2020, which recurs in 2021 for an additional $4500.
I am hoping to get back to work and be available for my patients via telemedicine based on what my health will allow starting in November. I am so devastated that I cannot get to my patients and support my clients through decision-making in person because of this pandemic and my compromised immune system. It is just not safe for me to go to homes.
Beyond financial support, I am very much interested in sharing my story to help other young women of color battling cancer. I have a unique perspective, being a medical doctor myself AND a patient. I know that I have already had to fight to advocate for my own care. And I genuinely believe my success in this fight has so much to do with my own medical knowledge. I want to help other young women going through this who don't understand their diagnosis, or have questions about their treatment options, fertility challenges, how to care for their skin, or just want to know when to expect to lose their hair for goodness sake! I have been recording this journey so far and would love ANY help in sharing my story with other women fighting this fight! If anyone can help with video editing for instance, I need you! Anyone making a documentary on health care in America and would like the perspective of an African-American medical professional and breast cancer patient, count me in! I know I am not the only one going through this and I want other women of color to know they are not alone!
And when I get this diagnosis in my rear-view mirror, I will pay all this love and support forward! I am all the more motivated to get back to work serving my community, and mentoring future veterinarians. I also look forward to my future as a breast cancer survivor and patient advocate in 2021!
Any contribution you make will be an incredible blessing! Peace of mind is priceless at a time like this. Knowing I have help covering the cost of my care will no doubt speed me along the road to recovery I know! Thank you from the bottom of my heart! I am so grateful for all the prayers, love, support, and positive energy being sent my way. I have dedicated so much of my life, striving to be a blessing to others. It is truly overwhelming to be the recipient of so much love and support. I am blown away everyday! I will NOT give up! I will keep fighting for complete and permanent remission in my body, by God's Grace!
On the night of July 24th, 2020, after another beautiful day caring for canine and feline companions, and their humans, I noticed a lump in my left breast. I rushed to get it checked, as soon as I could during a pandemic (yikes!) and got my very first mammogram, ultrasound, and breast biopsy on July 29th. The radiologist called me on Monday, August 3rd, informing me that I have invasive ductal carcinoma (ER+, PR+, HR/Her2- , Grade III) of my left breast. Follow up on August 5th revealed a nearby calcification with ductal carcinoma in situ surrounding the nodule, also ER+,PR+, HR/Her2-.
I spent the following month consulting with breast surgeons, reconstructive surgeons, radiation and medical oncologists to form a team to manage my diagnosis. All along, I understood my condition would necessitate surgery and starting an estrogen suppressant. I figured I would be unable to work for 3 to 4 months tops! However on September 15th, I met my medical oncologist. I can still hear her words. She said, "April, you are too young to be my patient." Based on my age, total lack of genetic predisposition for this, and the fact that the cancer cells are grade III (meaning they are multiplying quickly), my oncologist strongly advised I undergo a 5-month long chemotherapy protocol prior to surgery. She explained that her goal was to take care of the cancer we cannot see. She would rather "over-treat" me than be conservative, and find ourselves wishing we had been more aggressive 10-15 years from now. Without hesitation, I said OK. On September 17th, I underwent a battery of blood tests, an EKG, an echocardiogram, a repeat breast biopsy (my initial hospital refused to release tissues to my Cedars-Sinai doctors, where I transferred my care) in preparation for my new chemotherapy protocol. On September 21st, my intravenous port implant was placed and I started chemotherapy on September 24th.
I am currently in my 4th week of chemotherapy (12 weeks of Taxol followed by an 8-week course of Doxorubicin and Cytoxan), which will take me well into January of 2021. Once completed, I will be undergoing surgery. At this time, I have elected double mastectomy with DIEP Flap reconstruction. This surgery can last 8 to 12 hours and the usual recovery period is 6 weeks without complications, hopefully culminating in full remission and recovery by May 2021.
The funds I am requesting are for medical bills. My insurance premiums total $1200/month and my maximum out of pocket is $4500 for 2020, which recurs in 2021 for an additional $4500.
I am hoping to get back to work and be available for my patients via telemedicine based on what my health will allow starting in November. I am so devastated that I cannot get to my patients and support my clients through decision-making in person because of this pandemic and my compromised immune system. It is just not safe for me to go to homes.
Beyond financial support, I am very much interested in sharing my story to help other young women of color battling cancer. I have a unique perspective, being a medical doctor myself AND a patient. I know that I have already had to fight to advocate for my own care. And I genuinely believe my success in this fight has so much to do with my own medical knowledge. I want to help other young women going through this who don't understand their diagnosis, or have questions about their treatment options, fertility challenges, how to care for their skin, or just want to know when to expect to lose their hair for goodness sake! I have been recording this journey so far and would love ANY help in sharing my story with other women fighting this fight! If anyone can help with video editing for instance, I need you! Anyone making a documentary on health care in America and would like the perspective of an African-American medical professional and breast cancer patient, count me in! I know I am not the only one going through this and I want other women of color to know they are not alone!
And when I get this diagnosis in my rear-view mirror, I will pay all this love and support forward! I am all the more motivated to get back to work serving my community, and mentoring future veterinarians. I also look forward to my future as a breast cancer survivor and patient advocate in 2021!
Any contribution you make will be an incredible blessing! Peace of mind is priceless at a time like this. Knowing I have help covering the cost of my care will no doubt speed me along the road to recovery I know! Thank you from the bottom of my heart! I am so grateful for all the prayers, love, support, and positive energy being sent my way. I have dedicated so much of my life, striving to be a blessing to others. It is truly overwhelming to be the recipient of so much love and support. I am blown away everyday! I will NOT give up! I will keep fighting for complete and permanent remission in my body, by God's Grace!