Patsy's Pink Ribbon Journey

Several years ago Patsy learned about a relative who was in desperate need of a kidney due to a serious health issue. Without hesitation she immediately offered one of her own. This act of selflessness literally changed her life almost overnight. As she navigated the screening process, all tests came back clean. The only test remaining was the one that she almost didn’t take, a mammogram. Because of her age, and because there was no history of cancer in her family, she didn’t qualify for the mammogram. Nevertheless, she had the procedure done and was devastated to discover that she had a cancerous tumor on her right breast. The very first thing her doctor said to her was “Trying to save someone’s life saved yours! We caught it early!”

Patsy had a double mastectomy with reconstructive surgery in late March. The 8-9 week recovery time has put a major strain on her and her family financially. She is unable to work, and her husband, Pino, is caring for her 24/7, leaving him little time for anything else. Patsy started chemotherapy on June 15. She is scheduled for 8 rounds. Some days are better than others. The treatments and their side effects are tough enough to deal with. Add to the fact that they have to travel to Duarte (90 minutes each way) 2 to 3 times a week, life has been very challenging for this beautiful family.

An act of selflessness is something that carries a “pay it forward” mentality. Patsy and her family were willing to give a tremendous gift to help someone in need. We are hoping you are moved and inspired by her story and wish to do the same. Anything helps and on behalf of the Tenerelli Family, thank you for your support and generosity. God bless.