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For participating in #LightUpMBC Color Fun Run

Journey of Jenn

Raised: $9,750.84
Goal: $7,000.00
100.00% raised
100%
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Our story…

My name is Jenn and I am a registered nurse, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, friend and breast cancer warrior.  
When I was 24 years old I was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer- de novo. I had just started my dream job as a labor and delivery nurse. My whole life I have loved helping people, and I was now being able to bring life and love into the world.  Not long after starting this position, I noticed a cutie clementine sized lump in my left breast. After many doctors appointments and imaging, I was initially put off given my age and that this lump was something benign. This radiologist even told me to follow up with another mammogram in 10 years. If I had just stopped there and listened to that radiologist, I would probably be dead before my 10 year check up. Luckily I didn’t accept his diagnosis, advocated for myself and went to further doctors- who did not agree with the mammogram results. Many scans and biopsies and doctors later I was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer that metastasized to the lymph nodes, liver, and spine. 
Upon this diagnosis, I knew I had to take my professional background and make lemonade out of lemons. I want to spread awareness to younger adults and help them be an advocate for their own health.  If my diagnosis could help just one person then that’s all I want.
This past year has been filled with progression, difficult side effects, emotional turmoil, and too many doctors appts, emergency room visits, tests and treatments to count. I’m currently moving on to my 7th line of treatment but I live each month not knowing if a treatment will work or not.

That is why donations to MBC and research for Stage 4 is so important in finding new treatments, and hopefully a cure. I pray for a day we find a treatment that will help me and many other men and women live a long, healthy life. As of right now, statistics show that estimated expected life survival of someone with MBC is 5 years.
This diagnosis has forever changed my life but I refuse to let it TAKE my life.  I am a young woman who loves reading, painting, hiking, traveling, and LIVING. I am not ready to give any of that up.

I love being an advocate for MBC and METAvivor. I am very passionate of raising awareness of this disease, researching, and hoping for a day that this disease is something you can have a long normal life with.
If you’re interested on learning more or want to follow my journey, follow me on instagram @journeyofjenn

Description

ABOUT METASTATIC BREAST CANCER

Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is stage 4 breast cancer, for which there is no cure. Globally, more than 685,000 people die each year from MBC, with more than 43,000 dying each year in the U.S. alone (115 per day). Metastatic breast cancer spreads mostly to the bones, liver, lungs, and brain, causing MBC patients to be in treatment for the rest of their lives—with only 31 percent of MBC patients in the U.S. living longer than five years. Approximately 30 percent of early-stage breast cancers recur as stage 4 MBC. While 98 percent of all breast-cancer-related deaths are from MBC, less than 5 percent of overall breast-cancer funding is currently allocated to researching metastatic breast cancer.

METAvivor is the only organization that puts 100 percent of donations toward finding a cure. This is absolutely amazing, and this year METAVivor, through donations and fundraising events such as this, has been able to award over $5.7 million in research grants. We are extremely passionate about raising money for this cause and truly thank you for helping save lives by participating in or fundraising for this event. 

Team members

Click on one of our team members below to make a donation.

Recent donors

Donation date Donor name Donation amount
May 12 Chris DeFonce Undisclosed amount
May 12 Debbie Hughes 🙏🏻🏃‍♀️☀️ $37.78
May 12 Demitri Sanchez $211.85
May 12 Vanita Morris $106.35
May 11 Michael McCullagh $106.35
May 11 Colin O'Keefe $27.23
May 11 Amanda Pecc Keep living for those who no longer can. Undisclosed amount
May 11 Maria and Dan Cooney Sending Jenn and Chris good vibes, prayers for healing and love. You got this! $106.35
May 11 Isabella T $27.23
May 11 Tim and Mary Kelly $106.35