Coco Strong
Hi everyone! Thanks for stopping by. I have a little story to tell and a small ask of each of you that can. When my sister and I were little, we remember hearing the C word... Cancer. Our Aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer twice. After the second diagnosis, it was found that the women in our family could likely carry the BRCA 1 gene that caused increased risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer, a 50% chance for each woman. Woman after woman in our family got tested and in 2013 my sister Courtney got her results, positive. What did this mean? Where do we go from here?
Courtney started getting scans done every 6 months at the age of 23. In July of 2020, she went for her Mammogram, all clear. Then in March of this year, she went for her yearly MRI, (they alternated every six months with mammograms). After additional tests and scans, the biopsy results were in, Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.
After more tests and further consultation, Courtney received her final diagnosis... Stage 2 Grade 3 Triple Negative Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, or more simply... Breast Cancer. This was an aggressive and fast-growing cancer that treatment needed to start soon. With a final diagnosis on April 23rd, she learned that she would need to start Chemo, with possible surgery to remove the lump. She started researching, what would these treatments do, what possible side effects can occur, when would the hair start falling out. She had a port put in on the left side under where her bra strap sits (ugh, how uncomfortable right?) as an easier way to deliver the chemo each week. On May 10th, Courtney had her first treatment with a chemotherapy drug aptly named “Red Devil”. She would spend her first two months doing a treatment every other week and then start 12 weeks of weekly treatments.
If you knew Courtney before starting treatment, you know how outgoing she was. She spent time with her friends camping, hiking, and going to concerts. She came to my house regularly to see her niece and be an amazing Aunt. She liked to travel and go see family in different places and spend time outside in the sun. Things we may all take for granted, but things that Courtney can’t go do for another couple months.
Now, almost 4 months later, Courtney has shown tremendous strength. Strength that radiates off her if you’ve talked to her through this process at all. All alone during these treatments, except for the nurse visits or those that became friendly faces during their treatments. But, because having cancer wasn’t enough, she was diagnosed in the middle of a pandemic and no family or friends could accompany her during treatments. Even though all the treatments have taken their toll, she is not letting it defeat her. She has sustained a positive attitude, even through the toughest times of her treatments. With our mom who has spent more time in Texas the last four months than her own home in New York and an amazing set of friends, Courtney has been well taken care of. But the cost for things that make this journey even possible, like hats, clothes, wigs, and care items like ice packs, a seat belt protector, cooling blankets, and lastly, medical bills, have all started to add up.
Courtney has decided to minimize her chances of recurrence by choosing to have a double mastectomy, a tough choice that she made look like the simplest of things. When she completes her last round of chemo in September, she will have to wait 4-6 weeks until her surgery.
Between her last round of chemo and her surgery, a benefit on her behalf is being held on October 16, 2021, in Austin, Texas. I wanted to give others a way to donate to help Courtney during this time if they are unable to make it to the benefit. Your donation would help ease the burden and stress of costs associated her battle against Breast Cancer.
Tshirts are also on sale for $20 through 9/12 using this form: https://forms.office.com/r/0jejR6Y8CV
Here is a link to the benefit if anyone is interested in attending or donating items for the silent auction.
https://facebook.com/events/s/breast-cancer-benefit-for-cour/838134790423279/