When Denise Jean discovered a lump in her left breast last year, she immediately thought something was wrong. After years of working as a nursing assistant, her instincts told her she needed to see a doctor. So that’s exactly what she did.
Unfortunately, a diagnosis did not come quickly. She underwent a mammogram, but initially there were no definitive answers. It wasn’t until last November, when she went for an ultrasound and a biopsy, that she found out she had breast cancer.
“It happened so fast. I was so devastated that day,” Jean, 54, said of the day she received the news she had cancer.
Fortunately, the course of treatment quickly became evident. Her doctor charted a three-phase plan of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. After her surgery in early June, Jean learned that she was cancer free, although she has continued through with her radiation treatments as a means of reducing the likelihood that her cancer will return in the future.
While that recent good news has been reassuring, the road to recovery has not been as smooth as she would have hoped. Prior to her surgery, Jean said she was hospitalized for three days in March due to blood clots that formed on both sides of her lungs. It was at this point that she realized she had to stop working so she could focus on her treatment.
This was also around the time that her social worker connected her with Vickie’s Angel Foundation, which stepped in to help her cover her rent payments and some other bills. Jean, a Hershey area resident and mother of two boys, ages 24 and 21, said the people at the foundation would be in her heart forever because of the assistance they provided her.
“My situation would have been a lot worse and challenging without the support,” Jean said during a recent phone interview. “I am grateful for that. I hope to give back to the foundation to help others as well.”
As for the near future, Jean is returning to her job at the Hershey Medical Center. She said she has received tremendous support from her co-workers, who are willing to trade shifts with her when she needs it.
She also said she has hopes of one day working in the area of the hospital where cancer patients are receiving treatment. Although the floor assignments are based off of seniority and it might be some time before she makes it there, Jean said it would be meaningful for her to help others going through an experience similar to the one she has gone through.
In the meantime, she is staying positive and focusing on her recovery.
“The last visit, my doctor said your treatment is going well. That’s all I know and I’m praying to God every day,” she said. “You need faith and hope.”
About Us: Vickie's Angel Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit with a mission of helping families fighting cancer who cannot pay their bills because of going through cancer treatment. The foundation’s goal is to take away the financial worry from the family, providing a temporary bridge that allows them to focus entirely on beating this disease. Since 2003, Vickie’s Angel Foundation has raised over $3.8 million and helped more than 2,000 families. Importantly, 100% of all online donations, and monies received at our walk; along with 100% of net proceeds from sponsored events, go directly to those in need.