Team Jenkins

Angie is a courageous mother of 6 beautiful, fun, smiling girls. She recently found out that she has Stage 3 Breast Cancer and will begin chemo soon, followed by surgery and then radiation. This is going to be a long trek, but with the help of family and friends, we are hoping to soften the financial burden of out-of-pocket expenses (gas, hotel stay, meals while on the road) and medical deductables. Here is her story:

"My New Year's Resolution this year was to take better care of myself.  Eating healthier, exercising, getting my persistent back pain resolved, and having my left breast checked out.  In October, when the twins would no longer nurse on that side, I let my milk dry up and that is when I noticed that my breast looked funky. 

It's amazing how quickly things change.  February 4th, I went in to my primary physician to have her look at my breast expecting a response of, 'It is just a bunch of scar tissue from previous trauma to your breast from nursing.'  By February 6th, I had a mammogram and
ultrasound.  February 9th, a biopsy.  February 11th, cancer.  

Cancer.....sigh....ok, so what next? 

The tumor is 7.8 x 2.3 x 4.8 cm and has been detected in lymph nodes, defining this as Stage III, Locally Advanced Infiltrating Ductal Cancer.  Sigh......ok, again, what next?

My surgeon recommended that I begin with chemotherapy to try and shrink the tumor before a double mastectomy since the tumor is right up against my skin and they need some skin to close me up after surgery."