Battle Alongside Barb!
Donation protected
Greetings friends! We hope you can help out a dear friend who means a lot to us!
On November 3, 2017, after a routine mammogram showed an irregularity, Barbara was diagnosed with stage 1a, grade 3, ER/PR positive, HER2 positive breast cancer. She had surgery on December 4, 2017 which successfully removed the 1.7cm. tumor, and thankfully, the pathology report came back with clear margins and no lymph node activity; a true answer to prayer. However, HER2+ is a very aggressive form of breast cancer, and put her in the high risk category for distant recurrence. In the not so distant past, women diagnosed with HER2+ breast cancer had a pretty bleak prognosis.
Thankfully, in 1998, Robert Bazell’s “game changing” drug, Herceptin was approved by the FDA. Herceptin is a targeted therapy for HER2+ breast cancer, which attaches to the outside receptors of the cancer cells and prevents them from dividing and spreading to other areas of the body. It is the “magic bullet” for HER2+ cancer patients.
Unfortunately, a year of Herceptin treatments also comes with a hefty price tag, and Barbara’s insurance company is refusing to cover treatment, deeming it “medically unnecessary.”
We wish daily for the best and know you all love her dearly! Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers and if you can assist, it is greatly appreciated.
Much love,
Shane & Bambi
On November 3, 2017, after a routine mammogram showed an irregularity, Barbara was diagnosed with stage 1a, grade 3, ER/PR positive, HER2 positive breast cancer. She had surgery on December 4, 2017 which successfully removed the 1.7cm. tumor, and thankfully, the pathology report came back with clear margins and no lymph node activity; a true answer to prayer. However, HER2+ is a very aggressive form of breast cancer, and put her in the high risk category for distant recurrence. In the not so distant past, women diagnosed with HER2+ breast cancer had a pretty bleak prognosis.
Thankfully, in 1998, Robert Bazell’s “game changing” drug, Herceptin was approved by the FDA. Herceptin is a targeted therapy for HER2+ breast cancer, which attaches to the outside receptors of the cancer cells and prevents them from dividing and spreading to other areas of the body. It is the “magic bullet” for HER2+ cancer patients.
Unfortunately, a year of Herceptin treatments also comes with a hefty price tag, and Barbara’s insurance company is refusing to cover treatment, deeming it “medically unnecessary.”
We wish daily for the best and know you all love her dearly! Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers and if you can assist, it is greatly appreciated.
Much love,
Shane & Bambi
Organizer and beneficiary
Shane Jensen
Organizer
Abingdon, MD
Barbara Hartzell
Beneficiary
