Join Courtney in Her Fight Against Breast Cancer

In July 2022, at the age of 37, Courtney was diagnosed with stage 2 invasive ductile carcinoma (triple-negative breast cancer). From that day, Courtney’s life became a whirlwind of emotions as she began to navigate through countless doctor visits, trips to specialists, chemo treatments, and preparation for a double mastectomy. Those who know Courtney will agree that she is an incredible person. Throughout her diagnosis, she has remained positive and caring and still manages to lift those up around her. The past 8 months have been incredibly hard on Courtney, physically, mentally, emotionally and financially but she is finally starting to feel like the end of her cancer journey is in sight. Please join us to support her and help her make cancer a thing of the past.

Background:

In June 2022, just 9 months after the birth of her daughter, Courtney noticed a lump in her breast. Fortunately, she decided to get it checked out to ease her mind since it was recently discovered there is a family history of having BRCA mutations.

For those unfamiliar with BRCA, it is an abbreviation for “BReast CAncer gene.” BRCA1 and BRCA2 are two different genes that have been found to impact a person’s chances of developing breast cancer. Every human has both the BRCA1 and BRCA2 but a small percentage of people (0.25% of the population) carry mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, making them more likely to develop breast cancer, and more likely to develop cancer at a younger age. It’s estimated that ~60% of women with the BRCA1 mutation and approximately 45% of women with a BRCA2 mutation will develop breast cancer by age 70. Cancers related to a BRCA1 mutation are also more likely to be triple-negative breast cancer, which can be more aggressive and difficult to treat.

In mid-July, Courtney received the shocking diagnosis. Words nobody wants to hear or even expects to hear at such a young age. She was BRAC1 positive and had stage 2 invasive ductile carcinoma (triple negative breast cancer), a very aggressive form of breast cancer. From that point, her life turned into constant doctor visits and appointments with specialists to determine the best path forward. In August, her treatments began.

Her first round of chemo lasted 12 weeks with weekly visits to U of M for treatment, receiving Taxol and Carboplatin. Taxol is known to cause long-term neuropathy in patients. To mitigate the risk during each 3-hour long session, Courtney would endure the pain and wear hand and feet coverings fitted with ice pack inserts which were cooled on dry ice. Each round of chemo was followed by days of sickness, fatigue and worry.

The next round of chemo lasted another 12+ weeks and consisted of 4 rounds of Cytoxan and Adriamycin, also known as “The Red Devil”. This combination is considered one of the most aggressive chemotherapies available. The side effects were much worse than with Taxol and Carboplatin and were described as “debilitating” by Courtney.

On February 22nd, Courtney completed her last round of The Red Devil! The next hurdle is getting through a double mastectomy. This procedure is recommended for those who are BRCA positive, to greatly decrease the chance of recurrence. Surgery is scheduled for March 23rd and is approaching rapidly. Courtney is feeling incredibly anxious and scared about this but knows it is necessary. In surgery, she will have the breast tissue removed and expanders installed. Three to six months later, she will have the expanders removed and implants permanently placed. After that, additional reconstruction surgeries are likely. The entire process is anticipated to take up to a year.

In addition to surgery, Courtney will still need infusions for immunotherapy, aimed at getting her own immune system to keep the cancer at bay. She has been receiving infusions since August but will need nine more over the next six months.

We are hoping to relieve some of the financial burden that has been placed upon Courtney since her diagnosis so that she can focus on what really matters: her health, her recovery and caring for her beautiful daughter, Levy. Courtney has a heart for helping and supporting others, and now we have the opportunity to show our love and support by making a difference in Courtney's life. Whether it's through a donation, or by spreading the word, every little bit counts. Let's give Courtney the peace of mind she deserves during this difficult time. Please be sure to leave words of encouragement for her as she continues her journey in the fight to regain her health and a sense of normalcy again.

All proceeds will go directly to Courtney to offset the following expenses:

Medical expenses due to chemo and the upcoming double mastectomy

Medications

Travel expenses

Future surgeries and treatments

Thank you all for your support and encouragement.

“I get by with a little help from my friends.”