Help Jessica & Rafael Kick Cancer & Start A Family

Friends and Family of Jessica and Rafael…

Recently our dear friend Jessica, who is 31 years of age, received the diagnosis of IDC, breast cancer. A few months ago, Jessica’s husband told her he felt a hard lump on her breast. Jessica thinking, “I am only 31; its hormones, nothing to worry about” carried on as they had many upcoming trips ahead of them, and one was to celebrate her birthday. Fast forward a couple of months, Jessica began to feel the lump was growing and becoming painful. She set up an appointment with her gynecologist to check it out and rule out any possibility of cancer. Her doctor decided it would be best to biopsy the lump.

On July 18th, 2022, Jessica received a call that would instantly send her to her knees; her doctor said slowly, “ I am sorry, I have some bad news to share with you regarding your results. You have invasive ductal carcinoma, a form of breast cancer.” Immediately Jessica felt sick to her stomach and couldn’t wrap her around the thought of being 31 and having cancer. It didn’t make sense. Anger, sadness and fear went through her mind as she thought, I am only 31; I haven’t even begun to live my purpose in life. It can’t be real.

From there, multiple tests at multiple cancer centers, including another biopsy, confirmed the IDC but also concluded that it is Stage 2 Breast Cancer, Estrogen and Progesterone positive. Once the confirmed diagnosis came through, more appointments occurred, and the goal is to figure out the best treatment plan is going to be for her. Chemotherapy, radiation, hormone treatment for 5+ years and possible mastectomy are the four things she will be enduring over the next year to remove cancer from her breast and lymph nodes in the armpit on the right side.

After receiving the news of the recommended treatment plan, hit Jessica and Rafael hard as they were beginning the planning for their future family. Having chemotherapy can lessen the chances of becoming pregnant due to the process in which it kills cells in the body. Jessica and Rafael will now add to their journey the preservation of fertility in hopes of one day beginning the family they have dreamed about. Jessica and Rafael are firm believers that God has a plan, and this is not a punishment but a teaching moment, and he will guide and get them through this.

Jessica and Rafael have received help from friends, strangers and recommended sources to begin their journey. Still, those things alone aren’t going to cover all of the financial burdens they are about to endure with a treatment plan and fertility preservation. We kindly ask you to support Jessica and Rafael during this time of uncertainty and help them have the best treatment plan and fertility preservation possible. While they can fight this battle alone, there is NO REASON they should have to! Stand with me in supporting this beautiful young couple in kicking cancers ass!

Please see Jessica’s quote below! She has a fantastic mindset to be a fighter and help those who also endure this diagnosis.

"Everyone's journey with breast cancer is different, but I learned some things I think might be universal. I always believed that cancer takes something away—and it does—but it also gives something back: a community of women who have traveled the same road with strength and grace. It also gives you a new perspective: It was only in facing that which threatened my very being that I learned what it meant to be alive."

Instead of waiting until the end, I chose not to become a victim but to become a voice for those women who may have lost the battle, suffered in silence, or for the 1-in-8 who may be diagnosed with breast cancer within the next few days, months or years.

Please get a mammogram…breast cancer is NOT biased.