Millville woman, teammates preparing to ‘Dump the Lump’
Raise nearly $8K for breast cancer walk Oct. 14
MILLVILLE – Kristen Reilly felt a lump on her breast in early 2018 and mentioned it to her primary care physician. She had just turned 40 and in early March was scheduled for her mammogram. The screening had detected the lump and an issue with her lymph nodes which led to her diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer. Shortly after diagnosis, she began eight rounds of chemotherapy.
On Sept. 10, she had surgery which consisted of a lumpectomy and the removal of four lymph nodes. This Friday, Oct. 5, Reilly is scheduled for yet another surgery that, after healing, will be followed by radiation five days a week for six weeks and then oral chemotherapy for another six months.
The doctors at Dana Farber and her family have been by her side every step of the way through her diagnosis and extensive treatment. The outpour of support was amaz- ing. She knew that her friends and family wanted to do more to make sure that Reilly’s two children never hear the words ‘you have cancer’ in their lifetime.
Reilly and her team of supporters formed the “Dump the Lump” team to raise funds and awareness for the upcoming Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Providence walk.
Reilly was first introduced to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer when two of her co-workers had relatives fighting the disease. This year, her family decided to continue to be a strong force against breast cancer and raise funds and awareness. “Dump the Lump” has raised nearly $8,000, and Reilly alone has contributed over $3,000 to that total.
The American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Providence walk will be held on Sunday, Oct. 14, in Downtown Providence. This non-completive event will unite the community, honor those touched by the disease, and raise awareness and funds for a world without breast cancer. Making Strides Against Breast Cancer is the largest network of breast cancer awareness events in the nation, with more than 1 million passionate participants supporting the noncompetitive three- to five-mile walks each year. Registration for this event begins at 7:30 a.m. and the walk is set to start at 9:00 a.m.
Dollars raised help the American Cancer Society fund innovative breast cancer research; provide education and guidance to help people reduce their risk; and offer comprehensive patient support to those who need it most.
“Because of the determination of Making Strides supporters and breast cancer survivors like Kristen, the American Cancer Society is there for people in every community affected by breast cancer, whether they’re currently dealing with a diagnosis, may face one in the future, or will avoid it altogether because of education and risk reduction,” said Courtenay Needham with the American Cancer Society.
To learn more about the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Providence walk and how you can become involved, visit www. MakingStridesWalk.org/ ProvidenceRI or call 1-800227-2345.