Help Heather Fight and Recover from Cancer

Friends and family alike, I come to you today because my dear friend Heather needs our help. Adored by many, she the true meaning of love and light. Her smile and kindness radiate and fill the room with joy instantaneously. But she’s also a badass Firefighter, a full time caregiver to her mother with dementia, a loving mother to 4 children, even carried a child for a family that could not conceive on their own. She is the good the world needs more of. Which is why I am coming to you all today.

For the entire year of 2024, Heather has literally been fighting for her life. After finding another lump in her breast, she wanted answers. Test after test, scan after scan, each reading a negative result, she still knew in her soul something was wrong and continued to advocate for her health, demanding they continue to test. Each scan revealing the same, a completely negative result, an A+ clean bill of health and she was sent on her way. During a completely unrelated surgery, they finally discovered she was right all along. The aggressive cancer had returned to her breast at Stage 3. She was told it wasn’t going to be difficult to remove with a few weeks of radiation and she was sent out the door. The following week, she marched in and with an iron fist, demanded they remove the implants they just replaced so she would have the best chance at a clear scan without interference. After much back n forth with the surgical team, the breast implants were removed and another PET scan performed. Only then was it discovered that the cancer had spread to her skin, rib cage muscle, and spine, Stage 4. Survival chance, “a maybe at best”….

She was heartbroken and terrified.

Once the doctors made a solid care plan, she stood up tall, dusted herself off and with her head held high, she began an extremely difficult chemotherapy treatment. The strongest treatment on the market but very hard on the body and with life changing side effects in tow.

With 16 grueling chemo treatments, she lost all of her beautiful blonde hair, lost all feeling in her hands and feet, but she never lost hope and never lost her smile. Heather continued to radiate love, light and positivity throughout.

The treatments are finally finished and she has been told that there is no cancer detected!! Hallelujah!! However, that doesn’t not necessarily mean it is gone, it’s just gone for now. Yet, we celebrate the win!

But now she is told she will still need surgery to remove what’s left and remove several lymphnodes that were exposed. This is a very extensive, very invasive heinous surgery of the ribcage. So extensive they will have to fly in a team of specialists to perform on the ribcage specifically. All along this has been her greatest fear, even over death alone..

And even after the surgery she will STILL need radiation treatment 5 days a week for 7 weeks. How much can her little body take?

But she is willing, she is able and she is ready to continue to fight for her life.

But in this process, she has lost her income and has run her savings dry. Unable to work for the Fire Department or anywhere due to her poor health and weakness, she needs us to step in and offer a compassionate hand. Here is a woman that has spent her entire life helping others and saving lives. It’s our turn to return the generosity.

Please consider donating whatever you feel called to give. Even $5 from many can really make an impact and can help her tremendously! Skip that morning Dunkin for one day and let’s come together as friends and community to help one of our own and wrap our arms around her with the same love and light she’s given us and the world. ❤️‍

If you do not have the means to help financially, that is completely understandable. You can help by simply sharing this post. And by sharing her story with everyone you know! Doing daily self checks, knowing your body and being aware of its changes, early detection and self advocation can save your life! Be your own hero in your story.

“I came here to chew gum and kick cancers ass, and I’m all out of gum…” - Heather