I want to first and foremost thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to learn about my journey. I am a choreographer and educator, ever so passionate about dance, my students, and capturing dynamic movement and beautiful bodies on film. I love my life, and partner, and have so much to be grateful for. And I am.

PAST CANCER: In August of 2021 I was diagnosed with ER/PR positive breast cancer while residing in Asia and opted to have a lumpectomy as well as an oophorectomy in consideration of the fact I carry a BRCA mutation. I then began endocrine therapy as a follow-up.

I then traveled to Mexico to begin adjunctive and non-toxic therapies at Hope4Cancer. This included reading several books to better understand and integrate metabolic approaches to cancer, capitalize on the role of fasting, begin the use of re-purposed meds and create more balance in my life to achieve optimal well-being. (And all this time all I thought I needed to do was breathe.)

My partner, Ilan, and I tried for nine months to make it back home to Asia beginning in January of 2022 but were not successful due to severe lockdowns and stringent quarantine and entry processes. Stressful indeed to be shuffling across three countries, living on people’s couches, and teaching online while sustaining my medical treatments!

NEW CANCER: After nine months of trying to get home unsuccessfully, more bad news. In October of 2022, I found a tiny mass in my right breast and tests revealed it was cancer, again. I underwent cryoablation in November and pathology revealed it was triple-negative breast cancer. We were disappointed, to say the least, and realized we needed to be much more aggressive. The three physicians involved in the review of my case suggested chemo and then a Parp inhibitor.

TREATMENTS: I have opted for IPT chemo which allows my gut biome to remain intact, keep my red flowing locks, and kill those little pre-cancerous cells flowing inside my blood. This chemo has had a wonderful success rate with my specific type of breast cancer and is administered each week.

AETNA DENIES CLAIMS: The Cryoablation was performed out of network as no physician in my insurance network would perform the surgery. It was amputate your boobies or else! Also, the chemo was deemed "experimental" and "not medically necessary" by Aetna. (I am not sure how they sleep at night but we will save that for a book.) Aetna currently owes me $80,223 in unreimbursed medical bills since October 2022.

So to date---all surgeries and chemo treatments administered from November 2022 to the present have been paid for out of pocket. With my savings depleted, I now turn to you. I humbly ask for your help with groceries, gas, and covering the remaining chemo costs.

HOW TO HELP ME: I sincerely appreciate words of encouragement, and stories of success in keeping your boobies and living cancer free, and am so grateful for any donation you would be willing to give. I have 8 more rounds of chemo to go!

With appreciation, awe and affection,

Alyssa