LULU'S FIGHT

It is heartfelt for me to create this fund for my best friend, Lucia “LuLu” Larsen.  Her life completely changed with just one phone call late October.  LuLu has been concerned with a abnormality in her left breast for some time.  She had been told by many doctors it was scar tissue and had gone through at least 4 mammograms that all came back clear.  After her new doctor expressed his concern that he was not comfortable with this spot in her breast and his opinion that if it was scar tissue it would have softened up by now.  He recommended her to ask her primary care physician for an ultrasound.  Immediately she was told they need to take a biopsy.  After her biopsy she received the call that changed her life.  She was told the words we never want to hear “You have Cancer”.  As you can expect complete shock ran through her body.  She was asked to come to her doctor’s office right away and was advised to bring a family member.  At age 42 this amazing woman, mother and wife was told she had a malignant tumor in her breast and she needs to meet with an oncologist.  With her wonderful husband by her side she had to break the news to her 10 year old daughter Serena.  Then to her family and friends.  It was difficult for her to deliver this message to everyone.  She said to me it was a weird feeling to know that she was going to ruin her loved ones day after she told them the news.  She of course stayed her positive self and expressed great strength even though deep inside she was so scared.  She went to the darkest place and expressed to me her fear of not given the opportunity to fight and being taken from her daughter at such a young age.

About 8 weeks ago she was complaining that her chest, sternum area was sore.  I told her you should be careful when you workout.  She made a comment to me that she had not increased her workout and she said it was probably due to a cough she had just finished.  After weeks went by and the pain was not better she made a doctors appt and was prescribed motrin for the pain and was told it was most likely caused by her coughing and she possibly had a virus or swelling in her Sternum area.  LuLu and I were getting concerned because the Tumor sits very close to her Sternum.  Even though LuLu had gone through many scans her oncologist wanted her own and LuLu was scheduled for an MRI, PET scan and CT scan. She received the results right away. LuLu was told she had Stage IV  Cancer and it was in her Breast, Sternum and possibly in her Lymph node.  As hard as it was we sat and read the results together.  The positive message we read was they were going to TREAT TO CURE with a very aggressive approach. Chemo, Surgery and Radiation.  She is scared but you bet has a great positive attitude and ready to fight this cancer right out of her body.  With the aggressive approach she will lose her hair after her first treatment and has been advised she will be very sick.  With this said I want her only stress to be fighting this cancer.  I am wanting her to have the chance to put all of her energy into healing her body.

LuLu has been a hairdresser for over 25 years. She loves her clients and is a very hard dedicated worker. She was hoping to be able to work as much as possible through her treatment but it is likely that she will need to stop working and take time off.  She has no disability or medical leave pay.  Thank goodness she has medical insurance but there are many medical bills that is her responsibility that are piling up.

Thank you for any donation you can give.  Your support is appreciated.


With deepest gratitude,

Monica Liljegren