Please help Jodi. Join in support to battle Breast Cancer.

There is Strength in Unity.

You may not know Jodi Myers in person, but you probably know someone like her – someone who gives generously to everyone – to the point of anticipating needs – yet never asks for help. That’s my dear friend, mentor and neighbor, Jodi.

Wait – you might know of her. Do you take your dog or cat to a BluePearl Pet Hospital? Over her 20+ year career as a Creative Director and Graphic Designer in the Tampa/St. Petersburg/Clearwater area, she has been instrumental in creating brands and marketing that you may be familiar with. Most recently, the new branding for BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospitals. Some previous projects include FreightCenter, Cox Media’s Valpak Blue Envelope, Sandpearl Resort, Belle Harbor, The Bellamy, Conmed Linvatec and Nokia Latin America. Those were the creation of this brilliant artist. — Until late stage cancer came out of nowhere and changed her life as she knows it.

Despite diligently getting her annual mammograms at a local imaging center, Jodi was shocked to learn that there were actually four tumors in her breast, with the largest one being the size of a baseball. Even more concerning was the discovery that the cancer had also spread to and around her lymph nodes. She had gone to a new gynecologist for her annual exam and it was during this appointment that the physician felt a suspicious mass. She was urged to get another mammogram immediately, regardless of the fact that she had one recently. But this time, at a specialized breast imaging center. Once she had the new testing, the radiologists carefully reviewed her scans and past mammogram images and were disturbed to find that the cancer had actually been clearly visible for MULTIPLE YEARS, but had somehow been repeatedly missed. Jodi was given the devastating news that she had Late Stage 3 Breast Cancer (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma). The news only got worse from there, as a couple weeks after the initial diagnosis, it was discovered that she had a tumor in the Parotid Gland of her face.

Jodi is headed into surgery number 8 after four back to back surgeries, five months of two aggressive IV chemotherapies, three more surgeries, hormone therapy, oral chemotherapy, two (12 week) rounds of physical therapy, two (12 week) rounds of occupational therapy, two (12 week) rounds of lymphedema treatment and more.

She has asked for nothing until now, and is doing so very reluctantly.

As a natural caretaker and problem-solver, she is deeply uncomfortable with having to ask others for help, especially when it comes to the immense challenges she’s facing. She is doing as much on her own as possible to avoid burdening her family and friends. Treatment has become increasing challenging both mentally and physically over the duration of time. Compounding her personal health battles is the profound grief she’s been grappling with following the tragic loss of her oldest brother and mother just weeks apart, earlier this summer.

With the Advanced Breast Cancer diagnosis, she has an aggressive treatment plan requiring additional surgeries and cancer treatments. Along with the many side effects, permanent damage and disfigurement from previous surgeries, chemo and hormone therapy have caused bone loss and extensive nerve damage in the legs, spine, neck and arm, which also require attention.

Why Jodi Needs Support.

Your show of support would go a long way to help our friend. I am trying to raise enough money to ensure she can continue her vital cancer treatments. More than 90% of the funds raised will go directly toward covering the substantial costs that her health insurance does not fully address, allowing her to focus on her recovery rather than worrying about how to pay for the care she desperately needs. The remaining 10% will be used to provide her with essential medical supplies as well as transportation to and from her frequent doctor appointments, tests, surgeries and treatment sessions.

Unfortunately, due to the physical limitations and to avoid illness, Jodi is largely confined to her home, outside of medical care. While her own family lives up north, she has been incredibly grateful for the local friends who have stepped up to lend a hand - whether through the generous act of meal drop-offs, providing rides to her appointments or simply sending uplifting messages. Your own show of support would undoubtedly go a long way in helping to ease her burden and provide the resources she needs to continue her treatment with the best possible chances of a full recovery.

Awareness.

Jodi would like to raise awareness that extends beyond simply encouraging women to get their annual mammograms. She also emphasizes the importance of having those critical breast cancer screenings performed at a dedicated breast imaging center. This distinction is crucial, as breast mammography requires the expertise of a radiologist who has specialized training and experience in interpreting breast-specific imaging. Many women are unaware that the ordering physician, is not the one actually viewing the mammogram images. Instead, those scans are assessed by a radiologist. She is urging women to be proactive about inquiring into the qualifications of their mammogram provider.

 

Jodi Has No Family History of Breast Cancer or Cancers.  

Only 6% of women are initially diagnosed at this late stage with a three-year survival rate. Jodi does not meet any of the demographic criteria of that 6%. Again, Jodi was diligent about getting annual mammograms since the age of 35 at a local imaging facility. She also saw her local primary doctor eight times for left-sided chest pain. She got so frustrated that she went to a local hospital and saw an ER doctor, who mocked her by grabbing his chest, rolling his eyes and waving his hand at her. The doctors told her “she was stressed and to find ways to relax” – without further evaluation. If your doctor won’t listen, go to another and another. With no family history and clean mammograms, Jodi didn’t initially consider the possibility of cancer. 

Nor could she have fathomed that her diagnosis would escalate into such a grueling, all-consuming battle of her life, after initially being told she would be out of work for 12 weeks and able to continue treatment while working. But the reality has proven to be far more complex and challenging. As a true workaholic, she is pushing herself to the absolute limits, undergoing marathon surgeries and intensive treatments simultaneously for the best possible outcome. Jodi feels immense guilt for having to leave her dream job and dream team. She holds out hope to one day get back to her beloved BluePearl work family and friends.

As she navigates this difficult journey, knowing that she has someone like you in her corner, someone who is willing to walk alongside her, is an invaluable source of strength. It is with the sincerest of hearts, that I thank you for your support of my dear friend.