Hi all,

My sweet friend, Melissa Strautins — the heart, soul and hands behind Arctic Poppy Designs — recently received the devastating news that she has grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma, also known as triple-negative breast cancer. This is an especially aggressive, fast spreading and difficult-to-treat form of breast cancer, as it lacks estrogen, progesterone, and HER2 receptors, limiting treatment options and intensifying the battle ahead.

Just weeks before this life-changing diagnosis, Melissa and her incredible husband, Nick, were in the midst of renovating their new home — a dream they had just begun building together. In an instant, their world shifted from excitement and possibility to an urgent focus on survival.

The Road Ahead

Melissa’s medical team at the Huntsman Cancer Institute is moving fast with an intense treatment plan, beginning August 19th, which includes:

• 12 weeks of chemotherapy, but could be up to 24 weeks

• Immunotherapy

• If all goes well, surgery and radiation will follow.

This journey will be physically, emotionally, and financially overwhelming. And while Melissa is one of the strongest people we know — facing this with determination, grace, and courage — she needs her army now more than ever.

A Creative Soul Pressing Pause

Melissa is a full-time artist and jewelry maker, known for her creativity, her kindness, and her huge heart. Her hands are not only her livelihood but her passion. One of the chemotherapy drugs she will receive often causes peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage in the hands and feet). To protect her ability to create, she’s made the difficult decision to step back from creating — during what would normally be her busiest season.

This is not just a financial loss — it’s a temporary pause on her creative expression, which has always been how she gives back to the world.

A Heart That Gives, Now in Need

Melissa has always been the one who shows up — quietly, consistently, and wholeheartedly.

She spent years volunteering and fundraising for a nonprofit dedicated to funding blood cancer research, providing support services, and advocating for cancer patients and their families. She ran races in honor of those battling cancer, drawing strength from their stories. She even helped others train and cross the finish line in races they were running for loved ones facing cancer.

She gave so much of herself to help others fight and heal — always pouring her heart into the people and causes she believes in. Whether it was raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, donating her handmade jewelry to benefit animal rescues, school fundraisers, or causes like the Lost Lake Cystic Fibrosis Run, Melissa has always shown up with compassion and generosity.

Now, she’s the one in the fight — and she needs us to help her. Let’s show up for her, just like she’s done for so many others. Let’s help her become cancer-free.

How You Can Help

We’re asking for love, strength, and — if you are able — a donation to help ease the burden of this fight. Funds raised will go directly toward:

• Medical bills & insurance co-pays

• Transportation to and from treatments

• Nourishing meals during recovery

• Comfort items to ease the side effects of chemo

• Daily living expenses as she steps back from her business

Every gift — no matter the size — makes a difference. If you’re able to give, share, or even just hold Melissa in your heart, it truly means more than you know. A simple text, a funny meme, or a handwritten card with words of encouragement can brighten her world as she walks through this incredibly difficult season.

Melissa is facing the hardest journey of her life — and she’s doing it with strength, grace, and grit. She is a fighter. She is fierce. And if you know her, you already know her resilience. You know her spirit. You know that she is — in every way — otter-ly amazing.

Let’s remind her she’s not in this fight alone. Let’s surround her with the same love, light, and support she has always so selflessly given to others.