Beautiful Warrior Story: Laurie Van Beek

So my journey began June of 2019 at the age of 49 with a diagnosis of triple positive, invasive ductal carcinoma a very aggressive breast cancer.  Not how I planned on beginning my summer. 

It was the most terrifying news to try and wrap around my head.  These things happen to other people, not me!  Not possible, I’m having a nightmare possibly??  My life literally took a 360 dedgree turn in a matter of a day or two.  I’m pretty sure I walked around in a fog and a daze during every appointment that first two weeks.  Thank God for my amazing husband and family and of course friends and coworkers. They seriously saved me from having a mental breakdown.  

Fast forward to having a port placed, beginning a chemo cocktail of four different poisons for the next 4-5 months, then a bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction, infections which delayed further chemo treatment that I had to endure for another year, and an unfortunate blood transfusion…life was certainly anything but the same.
 

Of course chemo was not fun…at…all…but I was so unbelievably fortunate to have such rock solid support. Everything from food, gifts to help keep my spirits up, visits and check-ins from everyone….the love was almost overwhelming at times, however Im not sure I would have made it without these things.

  

God is good. 

My prognosis is good at this point but of course every ache and pain I have makes my head crazy with scary thoughts of reoccurrence  I just have to stay positive and trust God’s plan.

Thank you Crystal and Hope Clothing for putting a smile on my face and for keeping hope alive….it means the world!!  What a beautiful way to “give back” to cancer survivors and warriors. 

As they say “it takes a village” because we all known-or have someone we love who is currently battling or has lost their battle to cancer…loving and supporting one another is the key to hope and survival.