Support Shavonne's Fight Against Breast Cancer

Shavonne has always loved pink! In the last three months, that color has become a symbol of the biggest fight of her life... a test that will become her testimony!

In November 2024, she went for her routine mammogram, which showed a mass in both breasts. In late December, she had a second mammogram and ultrasound. Those findings led to a biopsy of a lymph node on the right and an attempt to drain a cyst on the left that had been causing some pain and swelling. The radiologist noticed something was off, so a biopsy was taken there too. One week later, she got the sobering news that the mass was invasive carcinoma of the left breast.

After another anxiety-filled week, she went to her first oncology appointment and was given her biopsy and genetic test results—it was triple-negative breast cancer. By definition, it is a less common, aggressive cancer (it grows faster, spreads more often, and is more likely to come back). It doesn't respond to traditional therapy since it is not fed by hormones. She was told to expect 5-6 months of chemotherapy and immunotherapy to shrink and kill the cancer, then a mastectomy to remove the tumor, and radiation after that.

2.5 weeks later, a breast MRI and PET scan revealed the mass had grown in size from 4.5 to 7.1 cm, and there were cancer cells in the lymph nodes near her left breast and in her chest. The first week of March, she was going to the operating room to have a port put in her chest to receive her chemo.

With this news, she has made a very difficult decision to temporarily stop traveling for work. Even at her healthiest, her job is physically demanding, often spending hours on her feet assisting the surgeon. It requires mental alertness, great attention to detail, and she has to be ready should a medical emergency arise during the operation. With a long list of potential side effects from all three drugs and not knowing how her body will respond to weekly treatments, we believe taking a short break will be best for her recuperation. It was not a decision she made lightly, as she genuinely loves her job and has a passion for learning and helping her patients. This unplanned leave of absence will certainly cause a financial burden, and medical expenses can add up quickly.

Her NC work family has come through in the first phase of this journey already. They have been supportive, trading shifts, picking up her on-call days, and relieving her early so she could make her appointments. They were there for her when she switched roles from surgical tech to patient. I am so grateful to them for that.

Now I'm reaching out to her relatives, close friends, DMV family, and ATL family. She needs your affection and support now more than ever! If she has ever done anything to brighten your day or make you smile, return that compassion and joy. If she has ever been there for you or offered kind words during a time of need, now is the time to surround her with love, positivity, and faith for healing. Let's keep her lifted up in prayer for total restoration of health in the months to come.

Her awesome strength and resilience will be a daily inspiration to us all! I will continue to keep you posted on her journey!