Hello,

My name is Carrie, and I am putting this fundraiser together for a friend and co-worker of mine, Denise Watt. Denise has always been the giver and the caretaker. She loves helping and is always the first to step up and offer her support. Since her diagnosis, she's had extra medical expenses come up. In addition, due to time off for treatments, surgery and recovery, her income dropped significantly. Denise is such a fighter and has such a good heart. I'm very proud of her, and I'd love for her and her husband Steve to have a little less to worry about.

I asked Denise how much of her journey she would like to share publically. Here is her Cancer story.

Back in May of 2021, I saw my first Doctor regarding a very large lump I felt. The Doctor examined me and told me what she felt was happening. She then scheduled me a Mammogram and an appointment with a Breast Cancer Doctor.

My diagnosis, Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, triple-negative. My other diagnosis, Malignant Neoplasm of the upper-outer quadrant of the breast. This type of cancer is very aggressive and fast-growing. The triple-negative means I do not have the receptors to fight the cancer off. I was first diagnosed with having stage 3 cancer. However, during the three weeks of tests and getting Doctors scheduled, my cancer grew. My diagnosis upgraded to stage 4 at that time.

My Oncologist, through the Tri-City Cancer Center, told me her treatment plan. Since the cancer is very aggressive, I had to start with very aggressive Chemotherapy. My treatment consisted of twice the amount of Chemo a typical cancer patient would receive. This went on for eight weeks. Next was a twelve-week plan of a different kind of Chemo, with treatments every week.

Chemo came with a lot of side effects. I experienced the loss of hair, lack of appetite and sleep, a metallic taste in my mouth, my fingernails turned black, and I've struggled with extreme fatigue and loss of leg strength. Additionally, I have had extreme weight loss, losing a total of 30 pounds so far. With all of these side effects, I was unable to work. After the last Chemo treatment, I had to wait five weeks before having surgery.

Due to the aggressive nature of my cancer, the best option for me was a Double Mastectomy. We were expecting to remove a few lymph nodes but needed ten removed during surgery. I am currently in my recovery, which will take 6-8 weeks.

Any help is appreciated. Thank you for your support!