Story
My Journey with Breast Cancer and How You Can Help One in eight women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime—and on April 11, I became one of them. I was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma. Thankfully, it was caught early thanks to my regular monthly self-exams. I can’t stress enough how important it is to make self-checks a part of your self-care routine. The first step in my treatment plan is surgery, scheduled for Wednesday, June 11, 2025. As I prepare for a six-week recovery period, many of you have kindly asked how you can support me—and I’m incredibly grateful for that. To help coordinate everything, I’m using the Give In Kind platform. Following surgery, I’ll have limited mobility and won’t be able to lift anything over 10 pounds. While I’m not entirely sure how this will affect my day-to-day life, I do know I’ll need help—especially with my sweet dog, Althea. She loves her daily walks on the nearby trails, and I’ll need help getting her the exercise she’s used to. Since the recovery experience can be unpredictable, having someone check in on me with a home visit would be wonderful. I’ll also be unable to drive for a while, so I’ll need help getting to a few important appointments. I’m so thankful for the love and support I’ve received already. Your kindness means the world to me as I take this next step.
Special Notes
Dietary Preference: Paleo-Friendly Meals I feel my best when following a paleo diet, so I’m focusing on meals made with whole, unprocessed foods. That means avoiding dairy, grains, legumes, and processed ingredients. I enjoy meals that include: - Meats like chicken, beef, pork, or fish - Fresh, cooked vegetables - Fruits - Nuts (except peanuts) - Healthy fats like olive oil and avocado Grilled, roasted, or sautéed dishes with simple, non-spicy ingredients are perfect! Sample meals I love: - For breakfast: Forager’s Cashew Yogurt with paleo granola and berries - For lunch or dinner: Protein with cooked vegetables or a hearty soup Please avoid: - Grains (wheat, rice, oats, corn) - Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt) - Legumes (beans, lentils, soy, peanuts) - Processed foods and refined sugars Thank you so much for supporting my healing with nourishing, thoughtful meals—it truly means a lot!