<div>"...Its gonna be a bright, bright, bright, sunshiny day!!"
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<div>Oh, Hi, my name is Nikki! I'm a 46 year old, brand new Grandmother of 2 living in Peterborough, Ontario.
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<div>I'm not supposed be thinking about breast cancer! It doesn't run in my family, and I'm still too young to schedule a mammogram for myself.
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<div>BUT...
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<div>In May of last year, I was officially diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. The truth is, the lump had been there for a while. I didn’t have a family doctor at the time, so it was a long and frustrating journey just to get properly seen at a clinic. Within days of that visit, things escalated rapidly.
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<div>First, I had a mammogram, then an ultrasound, which was quickly followed—within the same appointment and without time to absorb that it had to happen immediately —a painful biopsy. Within two weeks, I was told that not only did I have breast cancer, but it had already spread to my lymph nodes and bones. This wasn’t caught early. There is no cure. At best, they told me, treatment might give me up to three years—if I started immediately. So, here I am… about a third of the way through the time I was told I may have left on this earth.
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<div>There is no “cancer-free” in my future.
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<div>Since that day, in May; I’ve had 74 hospital visits—some consisting of multiple appointments packed into a single day. My treatment plan has included (4 now) rounds of oral chemotherapy, hormone suppression therapy, and monthly injections to stop estrogen production. Each round has come with new and exciting side effects like: extreme fatigue, nausea, neuropathy, pain, and at times, dangerously poor liver function.
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<div>I’m fighting through the physical pain, the emotional spiral, and the sheer exhaustion that comes from constantly realizing that I have terminal cancer!  And though recent scans show the cancer hasnt grown out of control, the toll on my body with each round of chemo accumulates and is ever changing. My days have become a carefully choreographed balance of medications, nutrition, rest, and pain management. My immune system is weakened to the point that I can’t be around groups of people, which has made returning to work impossible.
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<div>I’ve spent most of my life working with children—first as an Educational Assistant in primary schools, then raising my 2 amazing sons while running my own in-home daycare. I miss it terribly. I miss the laughter, the routine, the feeling of purpose. But I can't risk the chance that a simple infection that could be detrimental to me. My ability to work and earn an income disappeared with my diagnosis.
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<div>What I wish I could say is that I'm fundraising for one last vacation with my loved ones. But that’s not what this is.
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<div>The truth is, I shut down emotionally when I was first diagnosed. I tried to focus on staying alive, but in the process, I fell behind on bills, on rent, on everything. My partner, who has been my rock, also lost his job due to the stress and shock during this time. Between the two of us, we’re emotionally spent and financially broken. We’ve leaned on close family for financial support—more than we ever wanted to—and they’ve given more than they could afford.
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<div>Now, with arrears piling up and eviction looming at the end of April...
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<div>I’m asking for help.
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<div>Anything that’s donated will go directly toward keeping a roof over our heads, catching up on overdue bills, and covering basic living expenses while I continue treatment. There’s no luxury in this request—just the hope for stability, and a bit of peace.
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<div>This diagnosis has taken much. But not my sense of hope, or my gratitude for the support that I continue to receive from my loved ones
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<div>I want to express my appreciation for you reading my story and if I could ask a further favour..
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<div>Please share.
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<div>Thank you for your time!
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<div>Nikki 
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Wendy Johnson

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Nikki Fights Cancer With Happy Song Lyrics, and Your Help

Nikki Fights Cancer With Happy Song Lyrics, and Your Help

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