Beautiful Warrior Story: Sallie Jerovetz

This blog post is part of an ongoing series that highlights Hope Clothing GB's Beautiful Warrior Program. Sallie Jerovetz was nominated and took part in a $200 shopping spree because of all of you. The following is Sallie Jerovetz's story, in her own words:

So my journey with breast cancer began back in 2008, when at the age of 44, I found out after a mammogram and a biopsy that I had Breast cancer on March 17th! Our two boys were 7 and 8 at that time and didn’t quite understand what was going on. I ended up having a double mastectomy with reconstruction in the beginning of April and started chemo in May and finished by the end of August 2008.

It was quite the battle, but my husband, family and friends really supported me and help me get through it. I went on maintenance meds as my cancer was estrogen driven for about 7 years. Then, on Thanksgiving morning of 2019 I woke up in horrible pain in my right implant side and didn’t quite know what was wrong. We ended up going to celebrate with my husband’s family and when we got home, I still didn’t feel well. I decided to go to bed early and when I was putting my pajamas on, I felt a small lump on the lower right side of my implant. Immediately I panicked and told my husband that I think I have a return of my breast cancer.

After a long period of time trying to get answers and an MRI, then another biopsy, then found out in early January of 2020, I had a return of the exact type of breast cancer I was diagnosed with in March of 2008. This time, I had to sit my two sons down and tell them the news and at the ages of 19 and 18, they now understood and we all cried. It was devastating.

After many procedures, I had two surgeries; one to remove both implants and a second one because they found I had extra breast tissue left from my very first mastectomy surgery in 2008. Due to the pandemic in March of 2020, I had to postpone my chemo until May 24th and I finished July 16th. I had to have 30 rounds of radiation which I finished in October. By the grace of God, and all the positive love and prayers, I fought through cancer, not only once, but twice!!! Thank you, Crystal and Hope Clothing for making all of us warriors feel special and loved!!