Meagan's cancer battle

My sister Meagan is a loving 27-year-old who’s infectious smile touches everyone around her. Meagan is a beautiful outgoing girl with down syndrome who loves spending time with her friends and family. In early October, my sister developed shingles and while applying cream to the area my mum felt a lump on her left breast. After an appointment with our local doctor, Meagan was sent for ultrasounds and biopsies and on the 17th of October, Meagan was officially diagnosed with invasive ductal breast cancer. The doctors had to act quick due to the aggressiveness of the tumour and my sister went into surgery on the 20th on October. This came as a complete shock to all our family but we have all come together to support Meagan through her treatments.

Biopsy results found that the tumour was HER2 positive which meant that Meagan would have to undergo 12 weeks of chemotherapy. Meagan is currently half way through her treatments, even though she is suffering through the side effects of the chemotherapy she still has a smile on her face and is staying strong. Along with the chemotherapy she also requires Herceptin to be given every 3 weeks for a year, which is medication used to treat breast cancer specific cells.

Radiation therapy will commence approximately one month after her last round of chemotherapy, radiation will be needed every day for 6 weeks which is to ensure all cancerous cells have been destroyed and to decrease the chance of them reoccurring. We are currently waiting for genetic testing results to come back, which won’t be ready until mid-February and this will determine what other treatment she will require.

Meagan has not let any barriers stand in her way, she is a real fighter who doesn’t deserve to go through something like this. Any help that can be given to relieve the financial stress as we go through this process is deeply appreciated. Regular updates of Meagan’s treatments will be provided and we thank you for anyway you are able to help my beautiful sister.