On September 24th, 2021, my mom Karen Miller was diagnosed with breast cancer, less than two weeks after discovering a lump in her right breast. This also happened to be her 66th birthday. Trying to stay positive, even while on the phone with the nurse hearing what the next steps would be, she joked “Happy birthday! Have some cancer!”

Karen was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, triple negative. Luckily, it appeared to be in early stage II, but it was fast growing, the tumor was large already, and we needed to act fast and act aggressively, as it could easily spread to other areas of her body. A few days later, we met with her oncologist to discuss what to expect. We learned her cancer would not be responsive to any hormonal treatment, and she would need to do two different types of chemotherapy, surgery (hopefully only a lumpectomy!), AND radiation. Lucky her! The trifecta! He did assure us, however, that this type of cancer is highly treatable and despite some other underlying health conditions (CHF and high blood pressure), we could hope to expect “things to be back to normal” in about a year. As time progresses, and mom undergoes treatment, we will have a better idea if and when that will be true.

At this point, Karen has received four consecutive weeks of chemotherapy, with 8 more sessions to go until the next round. Her doctors run blood work and will do scans and exams to see how her body (especially her heart) handles the treatment. So far, while her immune system has weakened (which is expected), her body has tolerated the treatment well enough to continue with the treatment plan. Physically, Karen has mostly “just” experienced hair thinning, exhaustion, nausea, and (as she describes) “weird feelings” in her body as the chemo attacks what it needs to.

So, why are we asking for financial help at this time? First, Karen lost her job during the pandemic due to no fault of her own. The contracted work her company held was eliminated, along with her and many others’ jobs. Her original plan was to continue working as long as she could before retiring, but this job loss led to a forced, unexpected, early retirement. While eligible and now receiving social security, that income alone is not enough to support her. She applied diligently to job after job that would fit her skill set and age. Only a few weeks before she was diagnosed, she was finally hired and began training for a part-time job that would supplement her income and allow her to enjoy partial retirement. She looked forward to puzzling, reading, and spending time with her newest grandson, my son, Owen.

In the first few weeks after diagnosis, Karen had several appointments per week in preparation for treatment. Her job agreed it would be best to go on medical leave for 30 days to allow her to focus on treatment, which would be the safest option for her to return to work if she handled treatment well enough to work through it. Unfortunately, the hours and days required have fallen on either treatment days or days she typically is not feeling well. Her leave has been extended another 30 days, and they will continue to reassess as time goes on. As a new-hire, while they are being as understanding and considerate as they can, she is not eligible for any financial and/or disability benefits. While she tries to keep a positive attitude, the stress of her finances have begun to weigh heavily on her mind. Not only is she not able to work at this time, new bills and expenses have already risen since her diagnosis and treatment have started.

This is where all of you come in! To help cover everyday financial responsibilities, necessary services or treatment insurance won’t cover, copays, medical bills, pre-made meals, and other unexpected responsibilities, we are hoping to raise some additional funds. My hope is that this fundraiser will alleviate any financial stress, so my mom can focus completely on self-care, rest, and her physical and mental health. As many of you know, my mom and I are extremely close, but there is only so much my little family can do! We may also ask for other forms of help along the way (rides to appointments, meals, care packages, etc) for those of you who have already generously asked how you can help and/or for those who cannot contribute financially.

We will do our best to keep everyone informed as treatment progresses, and truly, greatly appreciate any amount you can spare!

Thank you so much! - Sarah, Karen, & Family