Help Nicole Ilsley Beat Breast Cancer!

Nicole Ilsley is one of my closest friends. If you’re lucky enough to know her, you know that she’s an unfailingly kind person who’s deeply committed to helping others. You probably also know that she struggles mightily with being vulnerable enough to ask for help, in part because she doesn’t want to risk diverting attention or resources from other people who need them.

Nicole, her spouse Cole, and their young daughter need our help now.

During a routine examination in early February, Nicole’s doctor found a lump in her left breast. After a diagnostic mammogram and two back-to-back stereotactic biopsies, Nicole received an initial diagnosis of Grade 3 Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS), or Stage 0 Breast Cancer. This means that while they caught her cancer early, it’s potentially aggressive and fast-spreading.

A further breast MRI in late March revealed that Nicole’s DCIS is more widespread than what was initially seen on the mammogram, and that the lump in her breast is "highly suspicious" for malignancy.

Because the lump isn't large enough to warrant pre-surgery chemotherapy, and because her DCIS is already so prevalent, Nicole’s medical team decided to skip an MRI-guided biopsy and go straight to a single total mastectomy with a sentinel lymph node biopsy to make sure nothing has metastasized. All of the tissue they remove will be sent to pathology for diagnosis.

Following her surgery, Nicole will undergo three years of hormone treatment to reduce the risk of any cancer coming back, and she’ll have regular screenings of her remaining breast.

Unfortunately, Nicole will be unable to work for at least six weeks while she recovers from her mastectomy, and she’s already had to miss a lot of work for numerous doctors’ appointments. Even with her excellent employer-sponsored health insurance and generous leave policies, Nicole and her family already have over $7,000 in out-of-pocket medical expenses so far this year. When all is said and done, they’ll be out well over $3,000 more in lost income due to her medically mandated time away from work.

Let’s make sure Nicole and her family have the support and peace of mind they need as she navigates this life-changing situation. All money raised, including any amount over the initial goal, will go directly toward covering Nicole’s up-front medical expenses and helping her and Cole make ends meet while she’s not able to work.

Please give what you can, and please share this campaign widely! Anything helps!!