At the end of 2022, I made the difficult decision to resign from my job to focus on supporting my youngest child. She has 22q11.2 duplication with intellectual and developmental disabilities, language delay/impairment, and is on the autism spectrum. Her care requires weekly ABA, occupational, physical, and speech therapy sessions. She is also under the ongoing care of a medical geneticist, ophthalmologist, endocrinologist, neuropsychologist, urologist, allergist, cardiologist, neurologist, ENT, pediatrician, and dentist.
In addition to her medical care, she thrives in weekly swim, gymnastics, and sports lessons—leaving her with a packed schedule. Balancing these responsibilities while maintaining my (more than) full-time job became mentally and physically unsustainable. I knew I needed to step back from work to be the mother she deserved.
However, life took an unexpected turn.
At the start of 2023, I was diagnosed with Grade 3, Stage 1b Triple Negative Breast Cancer and tested BRCA2 positive. Suddenly, I found myself under the care of my own team of specialists and navigating a demanding schedule filled with lab work, tests, imaging, treatments, therapies, and surgeries.
Yet through these challenges, a new purpose emerged.
I’ve always been naturally inquisitive, which has allowed me to discover valuable resources that helped both my daughter and me overcome significant hardships. This journey has revealed my calling: to assist others in navigating their own struggles through patient advocacy.
Inspired by this, God has given me the vision for two nonprofit organizations:
- One focused on supporting families dealing with developmental disabilities.
- The other dedicated to empowering those impacted by breast cancer.
The mission for both is rooted in providing support through advocacy and collaboration with other organizations to offer resources and services for those in need.
Thanks to the For the Breast of Us’ In Purpose, On Purpose Scholarship, I will be able to apply for the Board Certified Patient Advocate (BCPA) exam in 2025. Earning this certification will provide a solid foundation for making these nonprofit visions a reality, equipping me to better serve others as they face their own challenges.
I am committed to turning my pain into purpose—because no one should have to navigate these journeys alone.
