Maura Jenkins says that she has always been diligent about breast self-exams. As it turns out, that conscientiousnessrecently helped her in a big way.

Jenkins, a Mechanicsburg resident, said she detected a lump in her breast in early October. That moment kickstarted a roller coaster ride of several weeks that involved her receiving a breast cancer diagnosis and quickly pushing forward for surgery to remove the cancer and reconstruct her breast.

When Todd Feaser became sick about a year ago and was hospitalized with a COVID-19 diagnosis, he was understandably concerned. As it turned out, contracting the virus that is responsible for the ongoing global health pandemic was only one health issue that Feaser was facing.

Trina Palm, a Harrisburg woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer in April of this year, has recently received support from Vickie’s Angel Foundation.

Palm, who works as a certified nursing assistant/patient care assistant at UPMC Community Osteopathic, says that it’s been quite different for her being the one who is being cared for by others. But she said she’s very thankful for the support from Vickie’s Angel Foundation, her family, and her friends. That’s helped her as she’s gone through a mastectomy and chemotherapy treatments in recent months.

When Denise Jean discovered a lump in her left breast last year, she immediately thought something was wrong. After years of working as a nursing assistant, her instincts told her she needed to see a doctor. So that’s exactly what she did.

Vickie’s Angel Foundation has recently offered support to Amanda Masarik, a 38-year-old Harrisburg woman who has been fighting cancer and related ailments over the last three years.

Masarik first was diagnosed with cervical cancer after suffering a stroke in 2018. She said she was later diagnosed with endometriosis — which can cause severe abdominal pain — and later endometrial cancer. It was this last diagnosis that led to additional chemotherapy treatments that began in January of this year.

As October 2020 drew to a close, Lauren Nye had no indication whatsoever that she was sick. In fact, the 33-year-old had never been seriously ill in her life. She said she felt healthy and had even exercised recently as she went about her normal routine.

Suddenly, though, Nye said she watched as huge bruises developed on her legs. As they worsened, she became concerned and decided to visit an urgent care facility, which is where she was subsequently referred to Harrisburg Hospital.

After being diagnosed with stomach cancer last year, Scott Noll, a longtime truck driver, found himself on a different kind of road than he was accustomed to. Forced to stop working, his immediate financial security was in doubt. As he navigated the process for claiming disability benefits and securing short-term help from his family, the social worker he connected with at Andrews Patel Hematology/Oncology suggested he contact Vickie’s Angel Foundation.

Throughout her life, Carmela Hipp says that she has grown accustomed to being the one to help others in need. But that familiar dynamic was suddenly upended nearly two years ago during a visit to her doctor’s office. That’s when it was revealed that the endometrial carcinoma that Hipp had been treated for nine years earlier had metastasized, leading to four tumors in her lungs.

Vickie’s Angel Foundation has recently supported a Perry County family with 3-year-old twin girls, Ella and Eve Oakley, who have an amazing story that has been chronicled by several local and national media outlets.

The girls both suffer from Retinoblastoma, a rare eye cancer that typically affects young children. They were both diagnosed shortly after they were born on Dec. 19, 2017.

Being diagnosed with this rare disease has meant many visits to doctor’s offices and to hospitals, including the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Vickie’s Angel Foundation has stepped in to help the Oakley family due to the financial strain that has accompanied getting the girls the medical care they need.

Last fall, Threasa McWilliams thought she might have pneumonia. She was having difficulty breathing and her condition was not improving. In September, she decided to go to the emergency room.

That’s where McWilliams, 47, received the news that floored her. She said doctors informed her that she had Stage IV lung cancer. She was also told her cancer had spread to her breasts, abdomen and spine, among other areas in her body. Even though she is undergoing chemotherapy, those treatments are only meant to give McWilliams a better quality of life in the near term. She said her cancer is terminal, and it’s unknown how much time she has left.