We love Danica. Big heart. Big personality. Big hair. Sadly, this post doesn’t reflect the fun-loving Danica that we know and love. This post and the following subject matter is much more formal and serious. There is no easy way to say this. In November, Danica found a cherry sized lump in her armpit that appeared overnight. It was discovered last week that the lump was cancerous. She spent this week at the Breast Health Clinic at the Jim Pattinson Pavilion in Surrey. She’s in good hands there. After a week of tests, she has been given a gruelling diagnosis: Triple Negative Breast Cancer - a very aggressive form of breast cancer. Triple Negative Breast Cancer differs from other types of invasive breast cancer in that it grows and spreads faster, has limited treatment options, and a worse prognosis. Her cancer is already stage 3, having metastasized to her lymph nodes. She is still waiting to hear back on other tests to rule out further spread, but her oncologist is starting her on chemo-therapy immediately. She will undergo chemo 1x/week for the next 12 weeks, then a more intense chemo for 8 weeks. Upon completion of chemo, she will then have a double mastectomy, followed by radiation. This is a lot. It will take everything she has in her to fight it. Thankfully, Danica is a strong lady. She’s probably told you in passing how much she can bench press. She’ll be there first to make light of her situation, disarming it with sarcasm and quick wit. But in truth, she’s scared. She really needs your love, positivity, prayers, and words of support right now - all of it - to get through this battle. She won’t ask for it. In true independent-Danica-fashion, as much as she will try, she can’t do this one by herself. Danica is fighting for her young son, Odin, he is the shining light of her life. She is his sole caregiver. They are a team. Having to care for Odi while in treatment and recovery, will be super hard. At this time, she has asked that Odin not find out about her diagnosis. She will tell him when the time is right. She is fighting for all the youth she supports in her job as a Child and Youth Care Worker for the Delta School District. Danica has a true gift in connecting with kids and is highly regarded by her peers, the community and the children she works with. She is fighting for friends and family and colleagues and acquaintances. Every single one of you. And trust us, she knows everyone! You can’t go anywhere with Danica - and her unmistakeable mop of big blonde curls - without running into someone she knows. She’s truly the unspoken Queen of Ladner. Going through cancer treatment and recovery will be extremely difficult, and we’d like to help Danica eliminate any unnecessary external stress - financial stress, in particular. We have started a GoFundMe to collect money to help Danica with day-to-day living, as well as supplementary holistic treatments to support her immune system and mental health during and after chemo and radiation. Unfortunately this is all coming at a time when people want nothing more than to stop her in the street and give her a big bear hug. There’s never a good time to have cancer, but with the pandemic, the timing couldn’t be worse. She can’t risk getting Covid-19 with a fragile immune system. For those interested in contributing more personally - for things like meals, errands and other things, please contact Bridey or Marcy. Danica will beat this. She is only 43. She is strong. She is healthy. She has a big life ahead of her. There is power in manifestation and positive thinking. We ask you to visualize Danica squashing every cancer cell like the powerhouse she is. Send her all those healing vibes. Let’s show this sparkly beautiful Queen how much we care about her!!! In closing, Ladies, please check your boobs! 1 in 8 women are expected to develop breast cancer during their lifetime. This statistic is alarming. Please use Danica’s diagnosis as a reminder to educate yourselves on the importance of breast cancer screening. http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/screening/breast/get-a-mammogram/who-should-get-a-mammogram