Let's help Andrea kick cancers @ss!

Hi, my name is Diamond. I am starting this gofundme page for a very dear friend of mine, Andrea Smolek. Andrea is the type of woman that I look up to and that I admire. She is beautiful, smart and the kindest and most caring woman and mother I know.

On June 30th Andrea found a lump in her right breast; thankfully she immediately went to the Dr. and got in for a mammogram and ultrasound.

On July 11th after having two biopsies taken she received the call from her Dr. that she was afraid of, the lump she felt was cancerous and fast growing.

Andrea was diagnosed with Stage 1, invasive ductal carcinoma with a 2.3cm tumor in her right breast, her tumor also has a triple positive status. As a result, she will have to undergo chemotherapy, surgery, radiation and a possible hysterectomy.

Andrea and her husband, Tony, have two children, Zachary, 17 and Genvieve, 7. The goal is to keep as much stress and burden off the entire family. When one family member is diagnosed with cancer, the entire family feels that diagnosis.

She will be unable to work during this time, and her income will be reduced by 40%. Fortunately, her company can continue her family's health insurance for her, but with the loss of her income, she will still have to pay for her health insurance contributions at roughly $650 a month. Her treatments will be close to a year with chemotherapy, surgeries and radiation.

Every appointment and test comes with a co-pay, and the costs are adding up already. I started this Gofundme to try to alleviate some of the burdens that they are already enduring as a result of her inability to work per her oncologist.

The prognosis is excellent but the treatment is very aggressive. The aggressive course of treatment will lower the likelihood of recurrence. She will undergo 6 rounds of chemotherapy 21 days apart before she has surgery to remove the cancerous tumor. Infusions will be 7 hours long as they are administering 4 different chemotherapy drugs (TCHP Regimen).

Andrea is the most generous and bravest person I know, and as we all have her back let's help her focus on her treatment and family and kicking cancers @ss and not the financial burden that comes along with this terrible diagnosis. Andrea also will need to purchase a wig, which is very pricey as she will likely lose her hair after her first round of chemotherapy.

It took quite a bit of convincing for Andrea & Tony to allow me to start this gofundme but I know that financially they will need our help. Any amount you can donate is greatly appreciated and will go directly to medical expenses, as well as household bills.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and please check back for updates on how she is doing!