Healing Support for Carrie

Dear Friends and Family,

My name is JoAnna Pelletier and I am starting this fundraiser for my sister Carrie Gerspach. As with the journey of life, comes new challenges, this one no one can prepare for. I know we can all relate to this in some way. And that is why we are asking for your help and support. Her healing journey began before the holidays last year, which has denied her the ability to work. With the accumulating medical bills and the loss of income, it has presented them with extreme financial instability. Providing some financial support would relieve some of the anxiety that comes along with the severity of her disease, because the upheaval this causes mentally emotionally and physically is already overwhelming. As we all know, she is the most dedicated, devoted, kind hearted, contributing human there can be and as she pauses to focus on her health, now is the time to give her the love she deserves. To show her that all the love she pours out into this world, comes back. I ask that you take the space to consider helping Carrie and her family in anyway you can during this challenging phase of their life. We would be honored to receive any relief that can come her way. Below is her story:

My story began back in September 2021 when I was taking a shower and felt a lump in my right breast. At first I shrugged it off and thought I had pulled a muscle or some thing. After about a week, I made an appointment to see my primary Doctor who sent me for tests. I had just had my mammogram in July so my doctor assured me it was probably a cyst. I received my diagnosis on October 22 and my life was forever changed. I was diagnosed with stage 2-3, triple positive breast cancer. I was at school on my lunch break when I got the news and it dropped me to my knees. I was in complete shock and disbelief.

I started chemo treatments in November and was unable to continue to teach. After I complete my first 6 chemo treatments, I will be having a double mastectomy followed by a year of radiation and more chemo. I’m grateful that I found it and took action quickly since the cancer was so aggressive. It’s going to be a long hard road for my entire family, but I’m going to fight this fight with everything I’ve got. My husband and children are my strength and keep me going each and every day.