Gofundme

Hi, my name is Carol Garza. Thank you for taking the time to read about my breast cancer story. I hope to raise funds to pay for my post-surgery treatments, which, unfortunately, my insurance will not cover. This is not my first experience with breast cancer. Sadly, my late mother lost her battle with breast cancer on March 4, 2014, and the hole in my heart from missing her every day has not healed in nine years.

In February 2022, I relocated back to Columbia, Maryland, after living in New York City for 26.5 years, to be close to my children and grandchildren because of COVID-19, and because, to me, NYC lost its charm and appeal due to the pandemic.  I am a sociologist and media studies professional, documentary filmmaker, producer and director, and the Founder and CEO of a research nonprofit, and I am a consultant for an educational organization in Baltimore.  I was very happy and everything was going well for me.

On August 17, the day before my granddaughter’s 11th birthday, I was getting dressed to go swimming with her and her brother. When I raised the right strap of my bathing suit with my left hand over my shoulder I felt a protruding lump on the upper right side of my breast, at the 1:00 position. The lump was round, big and solid, but it was not painful. Never before had I felt something like that in my breast or on my body and I knew something was wrong. God spoke to me through the Holy Spirit and told me to not be afraid, and that I was going to be alright.  I finished getting dressed and went to pick up my grandchildren to go swimming.  I kept my cool and told no one about my discovery. As a consultant I do not have health insurance, so I applied for Maryland State insurance and I was approved.  Quickly, I started my search for doctors in my insurance’s network that specialize in breast cancer.  Going forward, I called the tumor my gift from God because it was a covenant between us: His promise to me that He would keep me safe, and my 100% trust in Him.

On October 7, I was examined by a RN/Midwife who referred me to an ultrasound specialist who then referred me for a biopsy exam. The biopsy exam was done on November 23, the day before Thanksgiving, and on November 28, the results came back with a conclusive diagnosis that my gift was malignant; 3.5mm in size, and was Stage II, Grade III, negative estrogen receptor (ER-). negative progesterone receptor (PR-) and HER2-positive, which meant my gift was a fast-growing tumor.  

My search for a breast cancer surgeon and an oncologist that I could trust, and who would listen to my concerns and respect my desires for my body, was an arduous undertaking, which pushed my surgery into the new year.  I met with three breast surgeons and two oncologists before I decided on my team. One of the oncologists is knowledgable about mistletoe immunotherapy, one of the treatments I will begin receiving soon, and he supports my decision to take it. 

On March 1, I had a single mastectomy surgery done on my right breast, and a DEIP Flap reconstruction, which required fat tissue and skin from my abdomen to rebuild my breast. Both surgeries took 8 hours in total and I was the last patient in the operating room at 10:30 PM.  Before my cancer journey could begin, I prayed and asked God for His wisdom, and to lead me to the right medical professionals that would take great care of me.

The day after my surgery, my breast surgeon who removed my gift visited me in my hospital room and told me that there was no evidence of cancer in the three sentinel lymph nodes that she removed. And she called me today (March 9), and told me that the pathology report showed there was no cancer in the margins of the tissues that she removed from my breast; there was no cancer in the three sentinel lymph nodes; and my gift was 7mm, not 8mm, which she previously thought it was.

I am asking for your help to raise $85,000 to immediately begin my post-operative hyperthermia (heat) treatments at the Hyperthermia Cancer Institute, in Santa Barbara, CA; mistletoe (Iscador) immunotherapy treatments; lymphatic drainage massages, and additional treatments that I will need to prevent new tumors and attack cells that may be floating throughout my body. Unfortunately, these treatments are not covered by my insurance. 

Some of the funds will also be used to pay for my lodging, food, and car rental during my stay in Santa Monica, CA. 

Any donations received above my requested amount will be put into an interest-bearing savings account and used for future medical expenses and for cancer research . 

Through my workshops, focus groups, and mixed-methodology research, your financial support will help me to bring hyperthermia therapy and mistletoe immunotherapy treatment for all types of cancers into the forefront of discussion in the public domain; and educate people about the emerging future of safe, integrative oncology treatments that support an individual’s right to choose these options alongside chemotherapy and radiation (if they choose to use them), the traditional Standard of Care (SOC). 

If you are not able to contribute at this time, I ask that you keep me in your prayers, and share the link with your network.

Thank you for your support‼️❤️

Carol