{"id":131925,"date":"2024-11-30T23:28:36","date_gmt":"2024-11-30T16:28:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=131925"},"modified":"2024-11-30T23:28:36","modified_gmt":"2024-11-30T16:28:36","slug":"mom-with-staten-island-ties-diagnosed-with-breast-cancer-at-33-while-young-daughter-battles-health-issues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=131925","title":{"rendered":"Mom with Staten Island ties diagnosed with breast cancer at 33 while young daughter battles health issues"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"LF7JL6KSJVFILLZTSAOUEILCAA\">STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. &#8211; A 33-year-old mother of two was recently diagnosed with breast cancer while her 3-year-old daughter battles a rare form of epilepsy &#8212; leaving her husband, a former Staten Islander, overwhelmed by mounting medical bills.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"KZY7PVS6NNCARAQYK55AWBCUCA\">\u201cI\u2019m very healthy. I exercise. I eat healthy. I\u2019m not like this hardcore drinker. It happened to me,\u201d Kim LaRosa said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"CQPK3F7NAJHIXBCDANCHQC3BKY\">Kim, who lives in New Jersey with her husband Vincent LaRosa, a Rossville native, and their two daughters, Lily and Valentina, was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer on Oct. 3, after undergoing her first round of testing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"PR34L4XZEJBGJB3AK2M2YV3ZGY\">\u201cI noticed a lump on my nipple when I was going to shower one day,\u201d Kim said. \u201cI went to my OBGYN, and he said, \u2018Oh, it\u2019s a cyst,\u2019 but he sent me for imaging.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"UNVWLNB3WZFGLPKUSEMHZZRAJY\">After her first-ever mammogram and ultrasound, both suggested benign fibroadenoma. However, the doctor at the imaging center recommended a biopsy to be certain, which Kim underwent a week later.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"2VFFI46E2RGVJNDXO2XFZMNHEM\">\u201cThe next day the results came in my portal in bright red lettering: Triple Negative Invasive Ductal Carcinoma,\u201d Kim recalled. \u201cMy heart just sunk. I\u2019m 33 and it doesn\u2019t run in my family.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"4G7DUTDCZBGDXF2LWAWRNYNRKA\">Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) refers to the fact that the cancer cells lack estrogen, progesterone and HER2 receptors, making it \u201cnegative\u201d on all three tests. It accounts for 15% of invasive breast cancers and is more common in premenopausal women under 50, <a href=\"https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/21756-triple-negative-breast-cancer-tnbc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">according to Cleveland Clinic<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"7J5NZVMSOJBVTMSQBSUG7B4CFE\">Kim shared that she is part of a group chat with 12 other women, aged 26 to 35, all currently undergoing treatment for triple-negative breast cancer across the East Coast.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"7J5NZVMSOJBVTMSQBSUG7B4CFE\">\u201cYou\u2019re not too young. My oncologist just diagnosed a 23-year-old with the same triple negative breast cancer&#8230; no family history,\u201d she added. \u201cUnfortunately, it\u2019s happening younger and younger. Do your monthly checks. If you feel something, just go get it checked and don\u2019t be naive that it\u2019s not going to happen to you because, unfortunately, I felt the same way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"EOJSOEEKZFAPPCBLLUZ436KT4U\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.silive.com\/health\/2024\/10\/breast-cancer-rates-are-rising-especially-among-younger-women.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Breast cancer rates are rising, particularly among younger women<\/a>, despite a 44% decline in breast cancer death rates since 1989. From 2012 to 2021, breast cancer incidences increased 1% annually, mostly in localized and hormone receptor-positive cases, <a href=\"https:\/\/acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.3322\/caac.21863\">according to a new report from the American Cancer Society<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"article-heading\">Kim\u2019s journey to healing<\/h2>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"LMS3YTRSSJBQXLCJ3XR6HUZKME\">Kim will be undergoing 16 weeks of chemotherapy, which includes 8 rounds of dose-dense treatment every other week. Dose-dense chemotherapy involves administering chemotherapy more frequently while maintaining the standard dosage.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"ORMIAJ6G5JFK5DTVBOVLYXWYPM\">After chemotherapy, tissue will be tested to ensure the treatment was fully effective before proceeding with a double mastectomy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"XO4D6O5GWVAZNCWNZSMZXYFHME\">Kim\u2019s first round of chemotherapy started on Nov. 1, and she will return for her third round this Friday.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"article__image\">\n<div class=\"article__image-wrapper\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 500px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.silive.com\/resizer\/v2\/AKJO2Y2OQVHZ3AQVWNV7EVPDIA.jpg?auth=7000fab8adc7a62b6c6634f7c8c58685e12ea134e2f410b13d241e0ba6dd26e0&amp;width=500&amp;quality=90 500w\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 800px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.silive.com\/resizer\/v2\/AKJO2Y2OQVHZ3AQVWNV7EVPDIA.jpg?auth=7000fab8adc7a62b6c6634f7c8c58685e12ea134e2f410b13d241e0ba6dd26e0&amp;width=800&amp;quality=90 800w\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.silive.com\/resizer\/v2\/AKJO2Y2OQVHZ3AQVWNV7EVPDIA.jpg?auth=7000fab8adc7a62b6c6634f7c8c58685e12ea134e2f410b13d241e0ba6dd26e0&amp;width=1280&amp;quality=90 1280w\"\/><img src=\"https:\/\/www.silive.com\/resizer\/v2\/AKJO2Y2OQVHZ3AQVWNV7EVPDIA.jpg?auth=7000fab8adc7a62b6c6634f7c8c58685e12ea134e2f410b13d241e0ba6dd26e0&amp;width=500&amp;quality=90\" sizes=\"auto, 50vw\" fetchpriority=\"low\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"LaRosa Family\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"article__image-content\" height=\"600\" width=\"300\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"article__image-caption\">\n<p class=\"article__mm-image-caption-text\">Kim LaRosa, 33, was diagnosed with Triple-negative breast cancer on Oct. 3. (Courtesy of Kim LaRosa)<span class=\"article__mm-image-credit\">Broken Crayons Photography<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"K4CXMD6JBRCWNKIETGJLVWE45M\">\u201cThe first treatment, I was great. I was like, \u2018Oh, this is nothing.\u2019 And then I jinxed myself, because the last treatment was really, really rough. I got very sick during treatment, and then all of last week I couldn\u2019t move from the couch,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"AH2OH737ERBFFDSDKKMSOV3SFI\">Kim is using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breastcancer.org\/treatment-side-effects\/hair-loss\/cold-caps-scalp-cooling\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a cold cap <\/a>to preserve her hair during chemotherapy. The cap circulates liquid at around 32\u00b0F, causing blood vessels in the scalp to constrict, which reduces blood flow and limits the amount of chemotherapy medication that enters the hair follicle cells, helping to minimize damage to hair follicles.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"JLSNY65ZCBAOTPL4AD3RTRAX3Y\">\u201cI\u2019m going into my third treatment and I\u2019m definitely losing hair, but it\u2019s not coming out in clumps. And I could still leave the house and feel like I look somewhat normal,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"CDCULTDMVFCV5CFX3I3MA5COI4\">Patients typically wear the cap 30 minutes before, during, and 90 to 120 minutes after chemotherapy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"B4FPWGFCJBHQJGXT4TMELLE7FQ\">Kim shared that she will undergo reconstructive surgery by June or July, several months after her mastectomy, to allow time for breast tissue expanders to stretch the skin and provide more tissue for reconstruction or implants.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"article-heading\">Lily\u2019s story<\/h2>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"IGCFLF3L7ZHQRLZWNW7Q47Q3WQ\">During her chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer, Kim shared that the toughest challenge has been being separated from her 3-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Lily.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"article__image\">\n<div class=\"article__image-wrapper\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 500px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.silive.com\/resizer\/v2\/4QT7IEO2SRFKRFZXFH566DG6TM.jpg?auth=fe43556476270cb86673f376d85c8ac932d44673684512577427acd5ab10e315&amp;width=500&amp;quality=90 500w\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 800px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.silive.com\/resizer\/v2\/4QT7IEO2SRFKRFZXFH566DG6TM.jpg?auth=fe43556476270cb86673f376d85c8ac932d44673684512577427acd5ab10e315&amp;width=800&amp;quality=90 800w\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.silive.com\/resizer\/v2\/4QT7IEO2SRFKRFZXFH566DG6TM.jpg?auth=fe43556476270cb86673f376d85c8ac932d44673684512577427acd5ab10e315&amp;width=1280&amp;quality=90 1280w\"\/><img src=\"https:\/\/www.silive.com\/resizer\/v2\/4QT7IEO2SRFKRFZXFH566DG6TM.jpg?auth=fe43556476270cb86673f376d85c8ac932d44673684512577427acd5ab10e315&amp;width=500&amp;quality=90\" sizes=\"auto, 50vw\" fetchpriority=\"low\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"LaRosa Family\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"article__image-content\" height=\"600\" width=\"300\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"article__image-caption\">\n<p class=\"article__mm-image-caption-text\">Kim LaRosa, 33, who is battling breast cancer, poses with her 3-year-old daughter, Lily, who is undergoing treatment for a rare form of epilepsy. (Courtesy of Broken Crayons Photography)<span class=\"article__mm-image-credit\">Broken Crayons Photography<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"6VKQW7X2IVD37LXXGNVWIG3XZM\">\u201cAll of this has been happening while Lily has been in the ICU for her epilepsy,\u201d Kim said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"MG26DC5PTFDHRJN5YUPFVW4NIQ\">Lily was diagnosed with drug-resistant focal epilepsy, a rare form of epilepsy defined as the failure to respond to at least two anti-seizure medications. On Dec. 11, it will mark two years since her diagnosis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"SDC6DXHNEFAM3OSWZILAFRDGEQ\">Recently, Lily was in the hospital for two weeks undergoing brain surgery.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"FGFKYNYOSRFO7GLDCX2QUP2TJI\">\u201cIt really sucked because I couldn\u2019t go to the hospital. She\u2019s been there for two weeks, she actually comes home tonight, which is very exciting,\u201d Kim said. \u201cBut for two weeks, I have not seen her because of my immune system being so weak. My doctor didn\u2019t want me to go into the hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"M4UVWN2RHZCTNMJNVSJMQK3ZSQ\">The family has been in and out of the ICU, hospitals, and ERs with Lily so many times that Kim says she\u2019s lost count.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"2XXCPDIVIFEWHLH46B7QHKTPOI\">\u201cAnd then I was diagnosed on top of that. So the medical bills are just&#8230; as you can imagine, between her and me, are insane,\u201d Kim said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"ADCRD2GR6RA4TGGKBQKRG2IGCQ\">Thus far, Lily has had three brain surgeries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"D7A7E3HFEZDSDMLMMUIAU25OEM\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC8339538\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">According to the National Institute of Health<\/a>, patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy are more likely to be suitable for surgery and benefit from it, particularly the removal of the tissue responsible for seizures. Those who undergo surgery earlier in life and sooner after the onset of epilepsy are more likely to experience cognitive and developmental benefits &#8212; leading to higher cure rates and improvements in both neurodevelopment and quality of life.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"GUDKMNGMR5EJ7EDB2JE73XYDEQ\">\u201cAs her parents, our main goal is to get her to be seizure free,\u201d Kim expressed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"FCL63ZUC3ZGALKHZCWXITLQK3U\">\u201cAs far as healing together, she is my inspiration. I look at her and I see everything she has been through at such a young age with a smile on her face, and that just makes me say, \u2018OK, if she can go through this with a smile on her face, I can overcome cancer and try to remain as positive as possible,\u2019\u201d Kim said.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"article__image\">\n<div class=\"article__image-wrapper\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 500px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.silive.com\/resizer\/v2\/OBQ3MHWARZE3JGBXOSGFMWC4QY.jpg?auth=bd71ea95f3b7fe333f79f87df22efff4418c4308c5fee148ef73e463fb96efeb&amp;width=500&amp;quality=90 500w\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 800px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.silive.com\/resizer\/v2\/OBQ3MHWARZE3JGBXOSGFMWC4QY.jpg?auth=bd71ea95f3b7fe333f79f87df22efff4418c4308c5fee148ef73e463fb96efeb&amp;width=800&amp;quality=90 800w\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.silive.com\/resizer\/v2\/OBQ3MHWARZE3JGBXOSGFMWC4QY.jpg?auth=bd71ea95f3b7fe333f79f87df22efff4418c4308c5fee148ef73e463fb96efeb&amp;width=1280&amp;quality=90 1280w\"\/><img src=\"https:\/\/www.silive.com\/resizer\/v2\/OBQ3MHWARZE3JGBXOSGFMWC4QY.jpg?auth=bd71ea95f3b7fe333f79f87df22efff4418c4308c5fee148ef73e463fb96efeb&amp;width=500&amp;quality=90\" sizes=\"auto, 50vw\" fetchpriority=\"low\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"LaRosa Family\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"article__image-content\" height=\"600\" width=\"300\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"article__image-caption\">\n<p class=\"article__mm-image-caption-text\">Lily, 3, has been living with drug-resistant focal epilepsy for nearly two years. She has undergone three brain surgeries thus far. (Courtesy of Kim LaRosa)<span class=\"article__mm-image-credit\">Broken Crayons Photography<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"MYUOWZNFG5BQJJBVJXYG3XD4JA\">Lily\u2019s first seizure happened when Kim was 9 months pregnant with Valentina, which is why she calls Valentina her \u201cangel baby\u201d because she\u2019s such a calm and laid-back baby.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"NGNGWGGDDBBHBPKPWO6GR5ARPU\">\u201cAnd Valentina is so little. Thank God, I don\u2019t think it really affects her&#8230; until this last hospital stay with Lily, I noticed, I guess because I\u2019m home with her, she\u2019s been asking, \u2018Where\u2019s sissy?\u2019 and she doesn\u2019t quite understand. But for the most part, thankfully, she\u2019s doing very, very well,\u201d Kim said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"ZGE4N2WM7RHLHANIZM6CFKCJRU\">With Kim and Lily\u2019s health struggles, the medical bills are piling up.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"HCN7NER7QZHY3AVYO6MV5QAGNU\">Lily\u2019s brain surgery in January was billed at over $1 million, with Kim sharing they had to pay a \u201cpretty penny.\u201d Kim added that, in September, Lily was hospitalized for two weeks, and the family is still battling a $275,000 bill. This month, Lily was in the hospital again for another two weeks.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"AKFRUSGIU5FRREMIQ6O24QMCAI\">\u201cThe whole point of the GoFundMe is to take the stress away from my husband because not only is he the sole provider, but he\u2019s also the sole caregiver now, so he has to take care of Lily and me,\u201d Kim said. \u201cThe hope is that we can take the big stress off of him, which is financial. That would be amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"L44LO4DAEVDQPBSRNQNMFBTOAA\">Since Kim\u2019s diagnosis, Vincent joined a support group for breast cancer caregivers, which Kim is grateful for. She shared that while it\u2019s easy to talk to friends, they can\u2019t truly understand unless they\u2019re living through it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"WB2IHVNNJRBR5MWQ7YLNI3QMMI\">\u201cWe\u2019re just grateful for anything we can raise. It\u2019s really just to take a big stress off my husband,\u201d Kim said. \u201cYou know men, they kind of hold it in. He doesn\u2019t let me see how he\u2019s feeling. I think he\u2019s really good at trying to stay cool and calm and collected.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"QB2ACQUR6VF47JMXWPCQH2R5QE\">To support the LaRosa family as they navigate these health challenges they\u2019ve been facing, please visit their GoFundMe page at: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gofundme.com\/f\/donate-to-the-kim-lilys-health-journey?attribution_id=sl:0bdee985-1a10-4d50-9d96-20e867145409\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">gofundme.com\/f\/donate-to-the-kim-lilys-health-journey<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1660802\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.silive.com\/health\/2024\/11\/mom-with-staten-island-ties-diagnosed-with-breast-cancer-at-33-while-young-daughter-battles-health-issues.html\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. &#8211; A 33-year-old mother of two was recently diagnosed with breast cancer while her 3-year-old daughter battles a rare form of epilepsy &#8212; leaving her husband, a &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=131925\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-131925","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131925","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=131925"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131925\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=131925"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=131925"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=131925"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}