Sharing the story of my beautiful friend Ellie Gisler. I couldn't possibly write with more eloquence and passion, so instead of trying, I will let you read her words.

"I have Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma of the Breast (Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma - Stage IV germinal center subtype with bilateral spread in lymph nodes and in my right femur).

In early February, adjusting my top, I felt the hardest, largest oval lump. I sought care immediately and have never experienced more efficient healthcare nor more concerned and caring doctors. As my oncologist described it - “this is probably on the aggressive side, but that’s not necessarily bad, we know how to treat aggressive really well.” My doctors keep reminding me that even with the spread, this is treatable and curable.

I have been prescribed an aggressive chemo regimen called R-Pola-CHP. This is the first chemo regimen that showed an improvement to the gold standard of care that is R-CHOP for NH Lymphoma. It will likely come with more side effects, but my body feels good and healthy (which is a very surreal feeling when you know you have cancer) and so I'm ready to take on whatever it takes to get to the other side.

I am marveling at how wonderful my life is - with my sweet family in our sweet little home as spring settles in. I am smelling Fiona and Rowan's hair and reading them books and creating art with them and massaging Brutus’s drool-filled jowls and watching the birds outside skipping in the melted snow. My journey in mental health and understanding myself has led me to this point and I’m not letting this time go to waste. How do I feel today? What if I can believe that cancer is not the worst thing in the world?

Lastly, things happen for a reason and nothing in my life has been so fateful than having found my beloved partner Ryan with whom I have had some of the most joyful and connected years of my life. I am sharing this whole life with him and there is no one who has ever just leapt into something so full-heartedly as he has into loving me, co-parenting our children, facing the cancer diagnosis of his partner. He has changed me - He is constant, so smart, so level, so deeply involved and emotionally in-tune. He is holding the base of my whole world right now. I am so lucky to be loved this much - I love him so much. He deserves whole universes."

Ellie was in the midst of an intentional career change when she received this diagnosis and has had to pause her search and forgo a job offer to focus on this journey. If you feel called to help - the best way is probably by helping create a small financial cushion for her family in the short term as they will be relying on one income and disability until they get to the other side

Please follow along with Ellie's progress on Caring Bridge.

Help us make things a little easier for my friend and her family while they navigate life and treatment and the unknown. We love you!