Natalie and Cliff Clark
Donation protected
My dear friends, Natalie and Cliff, were married in December 2018 and were excited to immediately start a family. Their pregnancy was going just as they had hoped and the nursery was completely ready for their new baby! At 30 years old and 36 weeks pregnant, Natalie discovered a lump in her left breast which she brought to her OB’s attention. An ultrasound was ordered and showed a 4cm mass that was a cause for concern and needed to be biopsied. A few days later, and only a few weeks out from the happiest moment of their lives, they were devastated to find that the pathology report showed that Natalie was positive for stage II Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC). Triple Negative means that the cancer cells do not respond to typical hormone therapy treatments and requires neoadjuvant therapy (chemotherapy before surgery). Her tumor is also very aggressive; it rates as a Grade 3 and 85% on the immunohistochemistry scale.
Since the tumor was found close to their due date, they agreed with the doctors’ recommendations to have their baby induced two weeks early in order for Natalie to begin treatment shortly thereafter. On February 24th, their beautiful, surprise baby girl, Cora, was born!
A week after being discharged, Natalie underwent many scans and tests, including multiple MRIs, more biopsies, and genetic testing. Her genetic results came back positive for a BRCA1 gene mutation, making her a high risk for recurrence and other cancers.
Towards the end of March, right before her 31st birthday, she will begin weekly chemotherapy treatments for 5 months. After chemotherapy, Natalie will need to have a double mastectomy and multiple rounds of radiation.
Natalie and Cliff have always dreamed of having 3 or 4 children, however; due to the time sensitivity of Natalie needing to start chemotherapy, fertility preservation is not an option. TNBC has the highest recurrence within the first 3 years after initial treatment, so Natalie’s oncologist has recommended waiting that amount of time to start having children again. She and Cliff are hopeful that not only will the cancer not recur, but Natalie’s body will rebound after chemo so Cora can have a brother or sister.
Natalie is an unbelievably strong willed, bright, spunky, and determined young woman who will use every bit of mental & physical weaponry to combat this invasive disease. Unfortunately, due to her aggressive treatment plan, she will not be able to return to work for many months. There are many medical out-of-pocket expenses, a high insurance deductible, and supplements to purchase in hopes to ward off ill effects of chemotherapy for the short and long term.
All donations, none too small, will go towards these expenses. The Clark’s are extremely grateful for everyone’s generosity and will continue to provide updates throughout this journey. Even if money cannot be spared, they welcome all prayers, positive thoughts, and good vibes coming their way.
As Natalie likes to say, “let’s kick this things ass!”.
Since the tumor was found close to their due date, they agreed with the doctors’ recommendations to have their baby induced two weeks early in order for Natalie to begin treatment shortly thereafter. On February 24th, their beautiful, surprise baby girl, Cora, was born!
A week after being discharged, Natalie underwent many scans and tests, including multiple MRIs, more biopsies, and genetic testing. Her genetic results came back positive for a BRCA1 gene mutation, making her a high risk for recurrence and other cancers.
Towards the end of March, right before her 31st birthday, she will begin weekly chemotherapy treatments for 5 months. After chemotherapy, Natalie will need to have a double mastectomy and multiple rounds of radiation.
Natalie and Cliff have always dreamed of having 3 or 4 children, however; due to the time sensitivity of Natalie needing to start chemotherapy, fertility preservation is not an option. TNBC has the highest recurrence within the first 3 years after initial treatment, so Natalie’s oncologist has recommended waiting that amount of time to start having children again. She and Cliff are hopeful that not only will the cancer not recur, but Natalie’s body will rebound after chemo so Cora can have a brother or sister.
Natalie is an unbelievably strong willed, bright, spunky, and determined young woman who will use every bit of mental & physical weaponry to combat this invasive disease. Unfortunately, due to her aggressive treatment plan, she will not be able to return to work for many months. There are many medical out-of-pocket expenses, a high insurance deductible, and supplements to purchase in hopes to ward off ill effects of chemotherapy for the short and long term.
All donations, none too small, will go towards these expenses. The Clark’s are extremely grateful for everyone’s generosity and will continue to provide updates throughout this journey. Even if money cannot be spared, they welcome all prayers, positive thoughts, and good vibes coming their way.
As Natalie likes to say, “let’s kick this things ass!”.
Co-organizers (2)
Anthony Theofiledes
Organizer
Homestead, PA
Natalie Clark
Beneficiary
Diane Fahrner
Co-organizer