Sandy's Breast Cancer Treatment Funds
Donation protected
Hi, I'm Margaret Halquist a fine art student at Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. I'm reaching out to all of you to help my coworker, and friend Sandy Sweeney who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time. She is a wonderful woman who is very caring and extremely unselfish. It is very difficult to see her in this situation and even though I cannot do anything about the cancer, I feel that relieving some of the stress on her and her family with financial situations would be extremely beneficial to her. We are asking that you donate what you can and spread the word.
If any of you would like to keep up with her progress, check out this link!
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/sandrasweeney
Note from Sandy~
"In 2010, I was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer, caught early and with a very good prognosis. I had a lumpectomy and radiation, followed by what would have been 5 years of tamoxifen, which reduces risk of the cancer returning. I have always tried to lead a healthy life, eating vegetarian and exercising regularly for many years. So I was totally shocked to get cancer in the first place, and even doubly shocked when I was diagnosed with cancer in two sites in the same breast again this year. It really made me question the efficacy of the treatments I'd gotten, and whether the treatments I'm getting now are going to help. I have good doctors, and they try to reassure me as much as they can, but there are no guarantees. It's a scary place to be. I've finished half of the chemo, two months left to go. It's been very rough, with side effects upon side effects. Nausea, fatigue, mouth sores, sore throat, pain in the skin of my hands, nosebleeds, headaches, the list goes on and keeps changing. Next week I start a different chemo drug and that will have new side effects. And after chemo is done, then surgery.
I've been doing picture framing for over 30 years, 17 years at my current job. I'm fortunate to have health coverage through my husband. But even with insurance, I have many bills to pay. I can only work a fraction of my normal hours because of the chemo, and because I have severe scoliosis. The back pain from the scoliosis has gotten worse both times I've had cancer treatments. So in addition to the medical bills, my family is having a hard time with day to day expenses. My daughter has moved back home to help out around the house and with expenses, but has a minimum wage job, which is better than nothing, but doesn't make up for my lost income. Everyone tells me not to worry about the money, but they won't be stuck with the bills. And we have so many bills from my medical care, when we can't even cover our day-to-day expenses."
If any of you would like to keep up with her progress, check out this link!
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/sandrasweeney
Note from Sandy~
"In 2010, I was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer, caught early and with a very good prognosis. I had a lumpectomy and radiation, followed by what would have been 5 years of tamoxifen, which reduces risk of the cancer returning. I have always tried to lead a healthy life, eating vegetarian and exercising regularly for many years. So I was totally shocked to get cancer in the first place, and even doubly shocked when I was diagnosed with cancer in two sites in the same breast again this year. It really made me question the efficacy of the treatments I'd gotten, and whether the treatments I'm getting now are going to help. I have good doctors, and they try to reassure me as much as they can, but there are no guarantees. It's a scary place to be. I've finished half of the chemo, two months left to go. It's been very rough, with side effects upon side effects. Nausea, fatigue, mouth sores, sore throat, pain in the skin of my hands, nosebleeds, headaches, the list goes on and keeps changing. Next week I start a different chemo drug and that will have new side effects. And after chemo is done, then surgery.
I've been doing picture framing for over 30 years, 17 years at my current job. I'm fortunate to have health coverage through my husband. But even with insurance, I have many bills to pay. I can only work a fraction of my normal hours because of the chemo, and because I have severe scoliosis. The back pain from the scoliosis has gotten worse both times I've had cancer treatments. So in addition to the medical bills, my family is having a hard time with day to day expenses. My daughter has moved back home to help out around the house and with expenses, but has a minimum wage job, which is better than nothing, but doesn't make up for my lost income. Everyone tells me not to worry about the money, but they won't be stuck with the bills. And we have so many bills from my medical care, when we can't even cover our day-to-day expenses."
Organizer
Margaret Halquist
Organizer
Milwaukee, WI
