Help Chesty Gillespie Beat Breast Cancer
Donation protected
Help Chesty Kick Cancer’s Ass & Rebuild Her Life
A Story of Strength, Survival & Community Support
Our incredible friend Tricia "Chesty" Gillespie has spent the last few years battling one challenge after another—long COVID, toxic mold exposure, financial instability, and now, breast cancer. Through it all, she has shown unwavering strength, humor, and resilience. But now, as she prepares for a bilateral mastectomy and reconstructive surgery, she needs our help.
The Journey So Far
For the past five years, Chesty has endured a relentless series of health and housing challenges:
- 2021: Contracted COVID, which led to long COVID symptoms that she is still managing.
- 2022: Toxic mold and raw sewage leaks made her apartment unlivable.
- 2023: Forced to leave her home, losing most of her belongings due to contamination.
- 2023: Moved to New Mexico to focus on healing while commuting for work.
- 2024: Moved back to San Francisco after discovering a mass in her breast in February.
Then came the devastating news:
- May 2024: A biopsy confirmed breast cancer, requiring a lumpectomy.
- September 2024: Right before surgery, a second, unexpected tumor (“bonus cancer,” as Chesty calls it) was discovered. The cancer is ER+/PR+ (estrogen and progesterone receptor-positive).
- October 2024: Severe dizziness and vision issues led to an MRI, which found white matter lesions in her brain, requiring further neurological testing.
- January 2025: Another mammogram revealed even more cancer, larger and just as aggressive as the first tumors. A 4-hour core biopsy MRI (without sedation) confirmed the need for a mastectomy.
Now, Chesty is preparing for the biggest surgery yet—a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction, which will happen in stages due to radiation.
Why Your Help Matters
While fighting for her health, Chesty has also been battling for financial stability:
- Over a year into the SSDI and SSI process, waiting on a hearing date after being denied twice.
- Ineligible for EDD (disability benefits) because she is a small business owner (Sutro Gold).
- Unable to work full-time due to treatments and surgeries.
- She needs help covering basic living expenses—about $3,000/month—until she is approved for SSDI.
How You Can Help
Your donation will directly help Chesty cover:
✅ Rent & utilities
✅ Medical expenses
✅ Transportation to and from treatments
✅ Business expenses to keep Sutro Gold alive
✅ Basic necessities while she focuses on healing
Every donation—big or small—makes a difference. If you can’t donate, sharing this fundraiser helps just as much!
Despite everything, Tricia remains a warrior. She is determined to rise like a phoenix from everything she’s endured. This journey has been isolating, but she is not alone—she has us.
If anyone is going to kick breast cancer’s ass, it’s Chesty Gillespie.
Let’s show up for her how she has shown up for so many others.
Donate, share, and spread the word.
With love & gratitude,
Jen Atherley & Tricia’s Community
Organizer and beneficiary
Jen Atherley
Organizer
San Francisco, CA
Tricia Gillespie
Beneficiary