My name is Bec and I have the most beautiful, strong and amazing sister Jessica Switzer. Over the past 10 years our family has been hit hard with cancer and have learned that a lot of our family members carry the BRCA2 gene. Our Uncle, his daughter , myself and my sister have all had breast cancer and Our father got prostate cancer. My sister was hit the hardest and 2 years ago at the age of 33 was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. She has 3 beautiful children and at the time her youngest was not even a year old and was breastfeeding. Over night his was stripped of his mother’s milk and she was taken in to have a double mastectomy and start her long journey of chemo and radiotherapy. She powered through and was strong and determined even though at times she felt she couldn’t do it anymore. She kept strong especially for her young little family who needed her so much. She was taken off chemo early as her vision started deteriorating and had numbness in her hands. For a young artist this was the worse thing that could possibly go on you. Jess came out the other side and over the last year has had several surgeries on her breast reconstruction which was damaged from radiation. Not long after and against all odds and something she was told would never happen she then fell pregnant . It was a shock and fear of the unknown but she embraced the pregnancy as any mother would. Over that week we all started to feel there was some good to come out of a terrible situation and started to get excited for her and her family. Later that week Jess miscarried and it was another devastating blow. Once again Jess picked up the strength and even though she was broken hearted she managed to keep strong .
It breaks my heart that only two years later
Jess has been experiencing back aches and at times they have been unbearable. She was sent in for a scan and with in hours told to get to the hospital. It has broken us all to find out Jess has now gone from stage 3 to stage 4 cancer . The cancer started again in the left breast and yes even with your breast removed it can still can come back. It has travelled down to the liver which is completely covered and then gone over to the spine. She was rushed straight in to hospital and hit with the strongest dose of radiotherapy which dropped her heart rate so low that doctors were worried all night for her wellbeing. After vomiting all night she then backed up the next day to be hit even harder with a large dose of chemo. This is a treatment plan that will last months and another hard time for her and her young family to go through. Her husband has stopped work for the next couple of months so he can help her to and from hospital and then there is their 3 young kids that need the support to . We are a very close family and are there for one another . The love and support is there but the financial support is what is going to be the hardest to tackle . Jess has not been able to work since the last cancer and now it’s hit again she can’t work anymore. There is ongoing medical costs and financial support that this family will need to help them through the worse time of their lives . I can’t thank you enough in advance and I know my sister even though she is so strong and amazing she would be so grateful to you all.
Bec