Trina Palm, a Harrisburg woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer in April of this year, has recently received support from Vickie’s Angel Foundation.
Palm, who works as a certified nursing assistant/patient care assistant at UPMC Community Osteopathic, says that it’s been quite different for her being the one who is being cared for by others. But she said she’s very thankful for the support from Vickie’s Angel Foundation, her family, and her friends. That’s helped her as she’s gone through a mastectomy and chemotherapy treatments in recent months.
“When I was diagnosed, my case worker told me about Vickie’s Angels,” Palm said. “I reached out to them and they were very helpful with my rent and my bills. They provided me with gift cards and support. Everybody over there is great.”
Palm acknowledged her situation has been difficult for her. She said she was raised to fend for herself and not accept things from others unless it was absolutely necessary. As she put it, “I believe if I don’t need it, somebody else might.”
On top of that, she said her cancer diagnosis was especially difficult because no one on either side of her family has been struck by the disease. Palm, a mother of three children and a grandmother to six grandchildren, suddenly found herself in an unexpected time of need as she was forced to stop working full-time.
“One minute I can feel good, later on I need to go to bed,” Palm said. “I told my son, sometimes I feel 51. Other times I feel like I’m 90. … This is a big setback for me because I’m used to moving, moving, moving.”
Fortunately, Palm said that her doctors have informed her that her treatment is going well. In addition, her son, William, moved in with her at her apartment near Italian Lake to help her during her recovery. That’s given her someone to lean on at home as she has sought other support from online support groups.
As for the immediate future, Palm is facing more chemotherapy and subsequent radiation treatments. But she said that won’t deter her from crossing off a major bucket list item. In October, she’s scheduled to drive with a good friend to Wisconsin for a Green Bay Packers home game. Palm, a diehard Packers’ fan, said that she’s determined to make the trip no matter what.
“The tickets are bought, everything is paid. When we’re done [with the game], we’re planning to go to Lake Michigan and come home,” Palm said. “The Packers have been my team for years. I’m really looking forward to it.”
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.