Support Nicole’s fight against Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Hi, my name is Amber and I’m starting this fundraiser for my identical twin sister, Nicole—a devoted mother, wife, daughter, sister, nurse, and one of the kindest souls you’ll ever meet. She just turned 40 and is now facing the fight of her life: an aggressive and rare form of breast cancer called Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC). The way we discovered Nicole's diagnosis is a miracle in itself.

After a traumatic injury resulting in shattering one of my teeth, I realized I needed to prioritize my health. I had a suspicious lesion on my shoulder that I went to get looked at. It turned out to be benign skin cancer. I asked one of the surgeons I worked with to remove it. During one of my appointments, I mentioned having a couple of family members with breast cancer. She recommended doing genetic screening to evaluate my cancer risk. I tested positive for a BRCA1 mutation, a rare genetic mutation that dramatically increases the risk of breast and ovarian cancer. She recommended my sister getting tested immediately as we are identical twins and she was also likely positive. As suspected, Nicole’s test came back positive too. We were advised to undergo preventative double mastectomies and removal of our ovaries and fallopian tubes immediately. We cried, terrified and overwhelmed, but also thankful for the chance to prevent something worse.

We were scheduled for breast MRIs to make sure there wasn’t any cancer developing before we had our preventative surgeries. My MRI was clear. Nicole’s was not.

They found a tumor in her left breast. A biopsy revealed our worst fear: Triple Negative Breast Cancer. TNBC is very aggressive and complicated to treat because it lacks the receptors that make other breast cancers more responsive to targeted therapies. Powerful chemotherapy and invasive surgery is recommended. We are so blessed to have found this cancer while it is stage 1.

Despite everything, Nicole remains the heart of her family. She’s the incredible mom of 13-year-old Grady, a bright, talented athlete who adores his mom more than anything. They enjoy making brownies, a weekly family tradition and going camping. Nicole’s husband, Ryan, was her childhood friend and longtime admirer. I remember him always trying to win her over when we were kids. They reconnected as adults and got married. He’s been her rock ever since. He loves coaching Grady, grilling for them in the backyard, and just being around his two favorite

people.

And yet, as if cancer weren’t enough, life delivered another blow. Ryan was recently laid off when the company he worked for shut down his region. For now, Nicole is the family’s sole provider as he continues to seek new opportunities.

Nicole is the kind of nurse who lights up every room. She started her career as a surgical nurse working in the operating room and recovery unit taking care of patients during and after surgery. Now she works in oncology where she shares her love and compassion with cancer patients going through chemotherapy in our own community. I have had several of her chemotherapy patients rave about how wonderful she is, when they have had to come in to have their own surgery. In fact, during the pandemic she floated to other departments wherever needed, often to understaffed units, and was recognized with the Daisy Award for her hard work and positivity. She was also nominated for the Nursing Excellence Award for her dedication and commitment. Nicole puts her heart into everything she does. Her compassion, her humor, her strength—it touches everyone she meets.

Nicole is just starting her aggressive chemotherapy in which she will undergo several rounds followed by multiple surgeries. We’re raising funds to help Nicole and her family through this next difficult year. If you’ve ever crossed paths with Nicole—or if her story has moved you—please consider donating or sharing this campaign. Every bit helps, and every act of kindness lifts the weight of this journey just a little more. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much!

With love,

Amber Sanchez