Jacq Vs. Metastatic Breast Cancer

Hi legends,

As you may be aware our favourite Unicorn - the absolute babe that is the former Jacq Penn (that's Mrs Howlett now to you) - is in a battle and needs your support and love.

Our sparkly self-love queen was getting herself into shape for her big wedding/festival/hootenanny in November this year and as the lockdown weight & a little extra was coming off a lump in her breast became present on a monthly self-exam. On Monday 23/01/23 she was given the “its cancer” diagnosis.

Triple positive (ER+PR+HER2+) invasive ductal carcomía.

She’s 33 with no family history of the disease and was only just settling into life in Western Australia after moving from Melbourne.

Her medical team was confident that it was early and contained - extra testing was necessary as a standard precaution. We had a plan for a treatable condition & feeling positive about the road ahead with a good outcome.

The following week the results started rolling in and the phone call came with the news no new cancer patient wants.

“It has already spread”

It was found to have travelled through her lymphatic system to distant lymph nodes in her lungs.

Incurable.

We can beat primary cancer, but it will reoccur normally within months after treatment and be resistant to more drugs each time it comes back. The fight ahead just got a lot more serious & now life-threatening.

(Jacq's face continues to demonstrate a complete disregard for this. I asked for pictures that would tug on heartstrings for this and this is what she sends me. Honestly. I can't even be mad at that face)

So what’s a warrior to do but cut off her butt-length (70cm!) locks to donate for wigs for cancer kids, spike up her new rainbow Mohawk, cover herself in glitter and get going on survival.

Jacqs chemotherapy started in March, which she will have 21 days apart, 6 times, followed by surgery to remove the hopefully shrunken primary tumour or a mastectomy & reconstruction. Then on to radiation of the affected lymph nodes followed by at least a year of immunotherapy infusions every 21 days again. About the most a body can take

After the devastating time bomb diagnosis Jacq went straight into research mode to work out what her other, if any, options are. All while planning a now-brought-forward elopement, because this queen needs her king and continuing her enrolled studies to become a veterinary nurse, a lifelong dream. She continues her research efforts every day both for cancer and animal care.

Sifting through snake oil & radical promises of a cancer cure, she found the works of some incredible people who have overcome their stage IV cancer. They have worked out how the cancer was behaving in their own bodies 30 years ago & were able to stop it. Over the years countless medical journals and studies now back up the evidence and oncologists & cancer researchers are taking notice, it's working, more research and clinical trials are needed and this will take longer than Jacq will have if she waits. So we start now in the hope to extend her life, treat the primary cancer & stop the deadly reoccurrence.

You have to go beyond the ‘standard of care’ if you want to outlive the depressing “you’d be lucky to live 5 years” statistics, and that’s what we are helping achieve. We are providing funds for appointments with her specialist oncology team in the UK from Care Oncology who are cracking the code of how to treat cancer metabolically with repurposed drugs that are far less harmful to the healthy cells & can be used ongoingly to prevent recurrence, all while killing cancer stem cells; the ones that spread the cancer around – something chemo can’t even do.

The funds will help;

• Pay for check-in appointments with her UK team as well as other specialists as they come up

• Keep the essential extra medication and supplements needed in full supply.

• Help with chemotherapy recovery treatments such as; massage, reflexology, acupuncture, personal training, HBOT, skin rejuvenation.

• Purchasing of more resources and research materials for her cancer study centre (her office)

• Reduce the financial burden of living with cancer

• Assist with everyday living costs, needing to consume higher quality produce & protein adds up quickly

• Let the newlywed & their dogs get away for honeymoon weekenders every so often

In return, you get:

• Some pretty great pictures of Fudge & Toph

• Access to their spare room in Perth when they're back on their feet*

• Any knowledge she had learned about cancer & treatments you want

• Personal satisfaction from being a fucking legend helping out another fucking legend

*I have absolutely not cleared this with Jacq & Lucas so maybe call first? Also, I will fight you for that room if I'm there too.

The battle is on.

This is now a full-time job for Jacq and Lucas, and I am asking you to join the team and help them fight this.

So, if you are looking for a way to support Jacq and Lucas financially, here it is. Everyone has a different financial situation, but please believe me when I say every little bit counts. Think about Jacq next time you grab a coffee and if you can shout her one too and donate a fiver. Can't give a lump sum? No worries, drop a little something in on paydays or tax return. This is a long-term battle team and progressive assistance is incredibly helpful.

I'll be posting updates here, and Jacq is also keeping an insta @jacqs_journal

So, who's in for the fight?

WE RIDE AT DAWN