Supporter Spotlight: Donna Petty
Editor's Note: Donna is a valued Pink Fund supporter and friend. We named her Volunteer of the Year in 2024 for her tireless dedication to our mission. She has inspired so many others to support our work as well, engaging family, friends in colleagues. We are so grateful that she decided to mark her 10 year anniversary by sharing her story with us.
By Donna Petty
The call. On February 27, 2015, on my way to speak at a conference in downtown Detroit, I received a call from my new doctor. It went like this: “Mrs. Petty, your mammogram showed some irregularities that we believe to be cancerous. You will need to see a surgeon to have a biopsy.” I was in shock as my family had very little history of breast cancer. I also had to put this news in the back of my mind to get downtown to the conference. I would deal with it later!
The diagnosis and treatment. The biopsy confirmed that it was cancer, and it was determined that I was already at an advanced Stage of 3C. After additional testing and meeting with my care team, I spent from March until the end of December getting chemotherapy to shrink the tumor and a double mastectomy and finished 2015 with radiation and ringing the bell to show that I was done with treatment.
The impact of meeting others with breast cancer. While I was done with treatment, the people that I met in the waiting rooms and infusion rooms were all anxious to tell their stories and their hardships. So many of them were unable to
work and were going through some serious financial problems. Those stories stayed with me. So many of the stories included not knowing how they would be able to make their next car payment or pay for their insurance or their electricity was on the verge of being shut off. Either they had used all their available time off from work and were being let go. Most were not fortunate to have disability insurance. These stories were all foreign to me as I worked for a company that allowed me to work from home (even before COVID); I had no loss of income, just co-
pays and deductibles. Because of my situation I was able to focus on healing. I went from thinking that this was no big deal financially for us, to quickly realizing that most were not the same situation and would experience some form of financial toxicity.
Finding a way to give back. I was introduced to Pink Fund by a friend from work. This organization helped women and men that were in active treatment for breast cancer with a 3-month bridge to help pay their household bills allowing them to focus on healing. When I heard about this organization all the people that I talked to in those waiting and infusion rooms came flooding back to me and I knew I had to get involved.
Every year Pink Fund throws a gala where patients participate with professional dancers in “Dancing with the Survivors”. In 2017 I danced, and it was a wonderful experience. Through practicing for the event, my back and hips started to give me some trouble. My doctor ordered a scan, and we found that the cancer had spread to the bones in my lower spine, I was now at Stage 4.
The journey continues. For the last 8 years I have been on several therapies, when one stops working, we try another one. Currently I’m back on IV Chemotherapy, dealing with side effects, bald but not experiencing any bad hair days! The point is I’m still here 10 years after diagnosis! I have been able to experience graduations, weddings and most importantly the birth of my 2 granddaughters! Wow am I blessed!
At the last gala, my daughter surprised me by participating in the Dancing with the Survivors in my honor! What a thrill!
Financial toxicity. My treatment lasted close to a year. Many women are not able to work during treatment, can you imagine going a year without an income? How will you pay for your utilities, insurance, rent/mortgage? This is where many patients fall into financial ruin. Pink Fund can provide a bridge for three months to patients currently undergoing treatment for their non-medical bills.
Celebrate & Donate. I am celebrating my 10-year anniversary by giving back. Won’t you join me in the fight against the financial toxicity of breast cancer by donating to Pink Fund? Donate here.
