Support Angelica's Fight Against Stage 4 Cancer

Hello, my name is Angelica Echevarria. On January 23nd, 2025, I was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer that spread to over 50% of my bones, and I have two holes in my lungs. I had been going to the doctors for months before being diagnosed. I had breast and lower back pain, but because of my insurance, they wanted me to do physical therapy for 2 months before they could order an MRI. I was given antibiotics for my breast because they thought it was an infection. I finished my antibiotics and thought nothing of it because I started getting painful back pain that would cause me not to be able to walk. This would last for weeks at a time. I probably had one good week out of the month where I could walk and do my normal routine. I was in and out of the ER. I kept making doctor's appointments because I knew deep down something was really wrong. No one would listen to me. I was told I had to do the physical therapy. I had CAT scans done, but no one saw anything. They did basic blood work but ultimately would just send me home with painkillers or muscle relaxers, which I can't take because I take care of my 3 children while their father works. I even had a doctor tell me it was because I was overweight. I went from 155 to 195 lbs, but this was due to the fact that I couldn't walk or do anything for months due to my back pain. No one believed me. I finally broke down and begged my doctor to please do some type of test because my breast started swelling up and my back pain was not normal, and it was getting to the point where painkillers were not working. I did not fall; I did not hurt myself; there was no reason for this back pain, and I was having trouble finding physical therapy places that took my insurance to get this MRI. Finally, my doctor ordered all the tests and bloodwork. I ended up in the emergency room where another doctor looked at my records and was shocked that no one put the pieces together and finally ordered cancer tests to be done. By this point, the cancer had already spread to my bones. This was the cause of my back pain. I did biopsies to confirm that it was stage 4 and found out it was reactive to estrogen. Since my cancer is already at stage 4, my oncologist will only treat my symptoms with palliative care such as hormone therapy, which is what I am on to try and prevent the spread to other organs. I am taking Verzenio and Letrozole daily. I also go for a hormone shot every 3 months. They are not going to give me curative care. I am asking for help because I am only 34 years old, I am a mother to three children. My oldest is 7, and I cannot let this cancer take me from them. My insurance was good when I first got it, but gradually, places stopped taking my insurance, and it's become harder for me to find specialists. I have been on the hunt for a doctor that will take my insurance to give me a second opinion. I will most likely have to change my insurance but that will also take up to a month to do and anything can happen. I want to fight this for my kids; my life does not end here. These funds will be used to help me get a second opinion and look for alternative treatments. Anything extra or unused will go to the care of my children.