Julie VanSchoonhoven’s Fight to Beat Breast Cancer

http://www.Juliesfight.com

In April of 2023, Julie was diagnosed with extremely aggressive, triple negative breast cancer, a very rare diagnosis for a 58 year old woman. At the time of the discovery, her tumor in the right breast was the size of a lime. She was to start treatment immediately, but unfortunately, that plan was short lived. Soon after her diagnosis, Julie was hospitalized for a potential blood clot in her heart. The doctors decided that they needed to proceed with her cancer treatment, despite the overwhelming risks of the potential blood clots. Her treatment began in May of 2023, and after two rounds of chemo, she was placed on the key note 522 protocol, also known as the “red devil.” 

During the course of her treatment, the chemotherapy attacked her body. Every Monday, she valiantly attended her infusions. She lost her hair, her skin changed, and her spunky, outgoing spirit slowly disappeared. Unwaveringly, our mom continued to be the pillar of our family, constantly supporting and loving every single one of us, and even attending her grandchildren’s outdoor football games. 

While undergoing her treatment, Julie was having difficulty breathing, and after some tests, it was determined that she had a large saddle pulmonary embolism, and was creating blood clots throughout the body. As her family, we were told to prepare for the worst, since this is often a death sentence. Due to her compromised immune system, low white blood cell count and neutrophil count, Julie was not a candidate for blood clot removal surgery. Once again, she was rushed to the hospital and confined to the ICU in the hopes they could dissolve the embolism and prevent the body from forming more. 

With the support of countless doctors at Roswell, strong medicine, and her own determination, Julie survived the blood clots, but not without long term side effects, known as pulmonary hypertension and an overall strain to her heart. Though she still had rogue blood clots throughout her legs and lungs, chemo resumed. This time however, our mom could feel the tumor growing. Additional scans were completed, and it was confirmed her tumor is chemo resistant and this treatment plan was ineffective. 

As our mom rang the bell for “finishing chemo,” it was not the ending any of us wanted. She still has cancer. She fought so hard and we did not achieve the outcome we all prayed for. She now prepares for a double mastectomy this December, as precancerous cells were found in the other breast as well.  

Our next chapter approaches dauntingly, and we are humbly asking for help. Our mom’s short term disability has expired and she was denied long term disability. We have hired a lawyer and will be fighting this decision, but in the meantime, the financial burdens are only adding additional stress, and are becoming too much for us to handle. If you knew our mom, you know she worked for the past 25 years at the Lockport Dollar Tree. She worked her way up through the ranks of the company from cashier, all the way to the manager of one of the highest producing stores in Western New York. A feat not easily achieved, especially as a single mother to 4 children. She absolutely loved her job, and was proud of her achievements. If she was able to return to work, she would in a heartbeat!

Unfortunately, our system is broken. This system that she has worked for, and contributed towards, has left our mom with denial letters for assistance, due to her owning her own house and vehicle. A house to provide the safety and security she desperately needs during her treatment, and a vehicle that is required to attend her treatments, doctors’ appointments, and receive her lifesaving medication. 

Over the course of her incredible life, Julie has held many titles: a wonderful boss, coworker, friend, sister, daughter and mother. But her greatest role to witness, is the pure joy and love that comes from being a grandmother to her 8 grandchildren. She is the epitome of strength and resilience. Our mom has put her own needs aside for far too long. Her fight is not over. The fight is just beginning, and we need her to continue to fight, especially for her grandchildren, so she can be a part of their futures! 

We thank you for any donation, but most importantly, we ask you for your prayers.