Littlestown Mother Battling Breast Cancer Thankful for Vickie’s Angels
As a 37-year-old mother of two children, Angela Beyrent was understandably shocked last October when a series of biopsies revealed that she had what is known as triple-negative breast cancer. The diagnosis set her on a monthslong recovery path that has required surgery to remove a tumor, chemotherapy, radiation treatments, and now a return to chemotherapy through oral medication.
Vickie’s Angel Foundation has been there for Beyrent throughout this difficult journey, helping her cover her living expenses as she has fought to get through each stage of her recovery. As it has for many others for nearly 20 years, the foundation has provided a short-term financial bridge at a crucial time for someone battling cancer.
“They have been amazing. They have saved my life,” Beyrent said of her experience with Vickie’s Angel Foundation. “Without them, I probably would have lost everything. They’ve been the biggest blessing.”
Beyrent, a resident of Littlestown, Adams County, explained that her doctors have told her there isn’t a cure for her type of cancer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains it this way: Think of the typical cancer cell as a house. To get inside to destroy the cancer, doctors typically must bypass three locks on the front door — estrogen, progesterone, and human epidermal growth factor (HER2).
If your cancer tests positive for these three locks, known as receptors, the CDC says that doctors have a few keys (like hormone therapy or other drugs) that they can use to get inside the cancer cell to destroy it. But if you have triple-negative breast cancer, none of the three locks are there, meaning the keys the doctors have in other situations won’t work. That makes surgery and chemotherapy the likely forms of treatment in this situation.
“It can go into remission, but they can’t ever say I’m cancer free of the type of cancer I have,” Beyrent explained. “But right now there is no evidence of disease, which means I am in remission. I have to go for testing and everything and I’ll be monitored very closely.”
In the meantime, Beyrent says that she is determined to move forward. She has continued being a guiding force for her 15-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son. She also said she has resumed working part-time in her prior job as a direct care worker, a position where she provides hands-on care and support to people with disabilities.
Importantly, Beyrent also said she continues to stay in touch with the folks at Vickie’s Angel Foundation. She said that the monthly check-ins have helped her greatly. That’s part of the reason she was more than happy to talk about how the foundation has helped her and her family during a difficult time.
“I’m glad that they picked me to do this,” she said of sharing her story.
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.