Help Jillian Beat Cancer

It pains me to type this... 

My girlfriend, Jillian Schlueter, has been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer at the age of 26. 

Jillian is the type of person that lights up the room as soon as she walks in. Her smile is contagious and her positive energy flows throughout. This wonderful young woman is a caregiver by nature. She is always putting her family and friends first, comforting them during hard times, and truly blessing all of us with her positive outlook on life. Jillian would care for every person (and animal) in the world if she could, that’s just the type of person she is.

Last week, Jillian completed nursing school at Rutgers University, receiving her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Her family and close friends witnessed the hard work, dedication, and time she spent each day studying and mastering the art of nursing. Recently, she told me: “I have a strong purpose in this life, I’m not done yet... I have countless patients to take care of. But first, I need to be my own patient. Having cancer will make me a stronger Nurse, and I will understand what it’s truly like to be a patient.”

Jillian is heartbroken that she has to postpone her dream of getting a job as a RN. She understands her main priority is battling stage 3 breast cancer. Despite the hardship, she has already set her mind to continue studying for the NCLEX (State Boards Exam for RN’s). This shows her strength and determination. 

It is going to be a long and difficult journey. She will be going through 6 months of aggressive chemotherapy sessions, as well as radiation. In addition, she will be undergoing a bilateral mastectomy, removal of her malignant lymph nodes, and starting a 5-10 year medication regimen. Not to mention, the countless doctors appointments and tests that have already begun (MRI’s, CT scans, bone scans, ultrasounds, and bloodwork). But, with the support from all of you, I know she can defeat this horrible disease.

We are asking for your help during this gut-wrenching time. Life will be taking an extreme turn for our family and close friends. Medical bills will begin to pile up and we need to act quickly as her form of breast cancer is very aggressive. 

If you cannot donate at this time, you can help by sharing this link. Please pray for Jillian, our family, and friends.

She is a fighter, and she will win.

We love you all. Thank you. 

- Ryan Costello