***ATTENTION**** #1 - Please click "Read More" on bottom right to read about Lindsey's story and how to help. #2 - IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A DONATION TO LINDSEY, PLEASE ONLY DO SO THROUGH HER CHURCH (SEE DETAILS BELOW). THE "DONATE TO CARINGBRIDGE''OR "TRIBUTE" LINKS ON THIS SITE GO ONLY TO THIS SITE AND WILL NOT GO TO LINDSEY.
Following the encouragement of a fellow church member now that she had turned 40, Lindsey got her first mammogram. Within a week, she learned she had Breast Cancer - Stage 2 tumor, HER2 Positive, Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.
The Road Ahead: The treatment plan is aggressive due to the HER2 aggressiveness of the tumor - it includes 6 rounds of chemo that start in early December, surgery around May/June (planned double mastectomy), and then another 6 months of antibody treatments like Herceptin. Every patient responds differently to chemo, so the doctors have warned that she may be unable to work at times, or at all, during the 6 months of chemo. With her husband currently unemployed, that would create an even more difficult situation for their family.
How You Can Help: The outpouring of love and support has been so wonderful and humbling for Lindsey and her family. As they process through this scary new reality, they promise they will be able to respond to and thank everyone that has reached out and helped. Please be patient with them and know that they are thankful for every prayer, message, and the support. Friends have set-up this Caring Bridge page to keep everyone informed and help coordinate the help in line with Lindsey's and Jeremy's wishes. Our focus is to create a coordinated effort for all of the help to give them the ability to focus their time on beating this breast cancer. Please click on "Follow this Site" in the upper right hand corner so you can receive emails when an update is posted here, and please also use the Well Wishes link on this site to add a special note to Lindsey that she can read during chemo or tough times and lift her spirits.
1. Donations - Should you feel moved to make a financial gift, her life-long church has graciously set-up a special fund to avoid administrative fees and ensure that 100% of donations get to Lindsey. Your tax deductible charitable donation, either by credit card or check, will be funneled through the church and then to Lindsey. The church will provide donation receipts. Donations will be used for critical elements like Lindsey's medical costs not covered by her insurance (such as an FDA approved therapy to help minimize her hair loss during chemo, called a Cold Cap, that runs $1,500 - $3,000). Her medical expenses will be ongoing for the next year or more. Even a small monthly donation will defray expenses over this time period.
- Credit Card Donations: This method incurs a 3.1% fee from the credit card process, but then 100% of remaining funds go through the church and on to Lindsey.
https://goldenpresbyterian.breezechms.com/form/de85074 - Check Donations: Please send checks to Golden Presbyterian Church, 17707 West 16th Ave, Golden, CO 80401, written out to Golden Presbyterian Church and "Zahrte Membership Fund" listed in the memo line.
- Venmo app: Search for "Lindsey-Zahrte". Unlike the above methods, this method does not qualify for a charitable contribution.
2. Chemo Needs - We have set-up a SignUpGenius Page for the items Lindsey needs both at chemo and at home after chemo. You can sign-up for individual items on the site and have them shipped to them or deliver them to their house.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0b4ba5ad2ba1fe3-lindsey3. Meals - As many of us know, during chemo Linds will have a small appetite, low energy and need a lot of sleep. We want to minimize the stress and time needed for the smaller things, like meals. Whether it is very helpful gift cards (Visa or to local restaurants), groceries, or a specific meal, the SignUpGenius Page helps us all coordinate and ensure they get food throughout the treatment time and not 10 dinners on the same day ;o)
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0b4ba5ad2ba1fe3-lindsey14. Prayers - In addition to the prayer chain at her church, Lindsey would love to hear from anyone willing to leave a post on the Well Wishes link from this site. This will allow her to read your kind messages and prayers to boost her spirits.
While Lindsey would love to see everyone, please know that the chemo may make her too weak or too sick to see you. Lindsey's main focus must be to maintain her health to beat this breast cancer. During chemo (Nov 2018 - May 2019) she will have a compromised immune system. If you are sick, or have been in close contact with someone who is, she would love to see you when everyone is healthy.
