My name is Susan Carroll and I created this fundraiser for my best friend, Nicole Martinez, who has breast cancer. AGAIN. Her first diagnosis in 2018 was dealt with head-on; given family history she had a bilateral mastectomy to ensure it wouldn’t come back. This new diagnosis of invasive breast cancer in her lymph node was never supposed to happen. But it has. Nicole and I have been best friends for over 40 years; she would never ask for help, but this round she needs it. And quickly.

We received the bad news in March. It’s JUNE. June. Her surgery is scheduled for July. Why? Because initially she had to scramble to cover costs for testing, switch hospitals, switch surgeons. All to save money. Honestly I can’t stand it; she needs a reserve to get the best treatment she can and as quickly as she can and not be stressed about how she’s going to pay for it.

Nicole will need time off from work, recovery help, funds to cover insurance deductibles and co-pays. She’s already paid out of pocket for a doctor-ordered PET scan after three appeals to her PPO were denied, delaying her treatment plan by weeks. No more - It’s time to get it out and this process behind her. She is facing rounds of chemo and radiation after surgery and we just don’t know yet how long she will be down.

Your support will absolutely lessen the burden of this journey for her and be incredibly appreciated. Helping shift her focus to fighting cancer and then healing, and away from the cost to do so, is a wonderful gift; a gift that could save her life.

Please make a gift of any kind to support Nicole, and then email/text/share this page with all your friends, family and contacts; anyone touched by cancer, friendship, loss and love may be moved to donate and we deeply appreciate that. Join us in watching the pile of “let’s ease the stress of this fight for you” grow. Thank you for opening your hearts and generosity at this time, we are so deeply grateful.