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OLTEA’S BREAST CANCER FUND
Our beautiful friend, Oltea, is a most unlikely cancer patient: vivacious, funny, optimistic.
Our little group of friends gathered to support her the other day, all solemn and worried, yet Oltea was the one reassuring us that everything will be well.
Everything is not well, though.
Our spirited friend was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer less than a month ago. After a double mastectomy, on Nov 3rd, the surgeon performed a second intervention to remove 13 lymph nodes located under her left arm. All 13 nodules and the biopsy tissue samples tested positive. It’s malignant. On Nov 30th, Oltea is scheduled for a full body scan, to determine if the cancer spread to other organs through the lymphatic system. She is also scheduled to start a long term (6 to 8 months), aggressive chemotherapy, followed by radiation. Despite all the emotional and physical wounds, our friend was reluctant to our initiative to start a fundraising campaign in her name.
She is a dignified woman who works full time as a cocktail waitress (night or swing shift) and is currently looking for a part-time job, to cover the exorbitant medical bills that already started coming in. What she doesn’t know yet is that the chemotherapy’s most common side effects -- nausea, vomiting, fatigue, muscle dysfunction – will make it extremely difficult for her to continue performing her physically demanding job.
Her enthusiasm and resilience is admirable, but the reality of going through chemotherapy and radiation will soon clarify that she cannot face this challenge alone.
Oltea agreed to allow us to start this fund. It took a lot of perseverance and diplomacy to help her accept that sometimes it is best if we reach out and trust that compassion and humanity will prevail.
We thank you, in her name, for your support!
Our beautiful friend, Oltea, is a most unlikely cancer patient: vivacious, funny, optimistic.
Our little group of friends gathered to support her the other day, all solemn and worried, yet Oltea was the one reassuring us that everything will be well.
Everything is not well, though.
Our spirited friend was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer less than a month ago. After a double mastectomy, on Nov 3rd, the surgeon performed a second intervention to remove 13 lymph nodes located under her left arm. All 13 nodules and the biopsy tissue samples tested positive. It’s malignant. On Nov 30th, Oltea is scheduled for a full body scan, to determine if the cancer spread to other organs through the lymphatic system. She is also scheduled to start a long term (6 to 8 months), aggressive chemotherapy, followed by radiation. Despite all the emotional and physical wounds, our friend was reluctant to our initiative to start a fundraising campaign in her name.
She is a dignified woman who works full time as a cocktail waitress (night or swing shift) and is currently looking for a part-time job, to cover the exorbitant medical bills that already started coming in. What she doesn’t know yet is that the chemotherapy’s most common side effects -- nausea, vomiting, fatigue, muscle dysfunction – will make it extremely difficult for her to continue performing her physically demanding job.
Her enthusiasm and resilience is admirable, but the reality of going through chemotherapy and radiation will soon clarify that she cannot face this challenge alone.
Oltea agreed to allow us to start this fund. It took a lot of perseverance and diplomacy to help her accept that sometimes it is best if we reach out and trust that compassion and humanity will prevail.
We thank you, in her name, for your support!