Help for Her Breast Cancer Battle

It doesn't just happen to others....

Here I am, two years into aggressive-breast-cancer treatment, and I am literally running out of funds to pay for medical expenses and even sustain everyday living.

No one ever thinks it can happen to them - but it does.

I knew something was wrong two years ago when my breast became tender. Something just didn't feel right. I scheduled the mammogram and ultrasound quickly. And the news came - it was an aggressive-type breast cancer.

Everything from that point on was a blur. I had to quit work and went from one doctor's appointment to another. The stress was so overwhelming that I developed severe back and muscle pain from the anxiety alone.

I started chemotherapy, but my heart couldn't handle it. I fainted three times and landed in the ER. After that, chemo was no longer an option for me. With the doctors agreement, we ended up following an existing trial protocol that administered targeted treatment without chemo. Six months later, I had a double mastectomy. When they tested the breast tissue, everything was clear. I was overjoyed with those results. But I still had to continue treatment for a total of one year. Recovery from mastectomy took time and I had no one who could help me through it.

I have no family left - no husband, no children. All I have is an ailing and elderly mom whom I care for. She's barely mobile and cannot leave the small studio she lives in. Nurses assist with basic stuff, but I'm still responsible for buying her medications and food. This has taken a toll on my health and so I wasn't surprised when I received my diagnosis. And now I had to take care of myself.

I had to continue the targeted treatments for the entire year, during which I wasn't able to work. I ended up selling my house to cover living expenses, my mother's care and the mounting medical bills on top of what was covered by insurance.

As the year or treatments came to an end, several specialized blood tests showed that I still had a significant number of cancer cells from my original tumor in my breast. Clearly, not everything had been eliminated.

Since I'm completely on my own, I began researching thoroughly what this could mean and how serious it was. This blood test is a newer form of monitoring that tracks cancer activity before any solid tumors form.

With the help of several doctors, I've been retesting my blood every three to five months. Unfortunately, the cancer cell count has more than doubled in a period of just five months. Even worse, the test shows that many cells have mutated into a highly resistant and aggressive form. The aggressive cells specifically (there are also other ones that are less aggressive but still cancerous) have multiplied five-fold and it's just a matter of time before they settle somewhere and form a tumor. In fact, the blood test already showed levels indicating the possible presence of an active tumor.

But the imaging hasn't picked up anything yet. This cancer is known to metastasize first to the brain - even before even other organs. If left untreated in the current state, it's almost certain I will develop metastases in the near future.

I am exhausted - physically, emotionally and financially. My savings are gone, my job is no longer available, and fatigue prevents me from holding a full-time position. As I mentioned before, I have no family left, and no real support.

I just want a chance to fight this - before it's too late and I'm dealing with full-blown metastases.

I have been researching alternative options, and I've found innovative treatments available in Germany. Many of these therapies are in clinical trials across the world, but the trials are either closed or I don't meet the specific criteria. These new treatments specifically target my type of cancer, but they're still years away from being integrated into standard of care.

Germany is ahead of the curve and several of these cutting-edge treatments are already being offered in specialized clinics. And they are very expensive.

I am asking for your help so I can raise enough funds to travel to Germany and access these innovative treatments before time runs out.

I've always been a hard worker with an analytical mind. Over the past two years, I've spend countless hours researching treatments that might work for my case. This cancer is rare and doesn't respond to chemo, let alone that my body cannot tolerate it. So, my options are very limited.

But I still have hope. Along this journey, I've met some wonderful people who've become dear friends. Many of us are in the same situation - left to our own devices, trying to figure out how to save ourselves.

I've never faced anything this overwhelming before: serious illness, an immobile mom, no family and almost no funds. When so much hits at once, desperation sets in.

Please know this is my last resort. I'm a private person and never thought I'd be asking for help like this. I've always relied on myself. But I can't do this alone anymore. I need help. Maybe this is God's - or the Universe's - way of teaching me that it's ok to ask and ok to receive. That in itself is a lesson.

I am humbly and graciously asking for your support. Your help could give me a chance to survive this disease. I will be forever grateful.

Thank you.