From College Student to Cancer Patient

At 22 years old, Megan T. was enjoying her final years at college in Boston, spending time with her roommates, focusing on schoolwork, and imagining what life might look like after graduation. Cancer was the last thing on her mind until, just six months after graduating, she felt a lump in her breast. Megan went to a walk-in clinic, assuming it was nothing serious. The doctors reassured her but referred her to a specialist for confirmation. One appointment led to another, and a week later, Megan was diagnosed with late-stage III breast cancer.

Facing Cancer and Genetics

Early in treatment, Megan learned she carried the BRCA gene mutation, which increases a person’s risk of developing additional cancers and passing the gene on to their children. Therefore, Megan’s doctors recommended exploratory radiation and a bilateral mastectomy after an aggressive chemotherapy regimen to destroy any remaining cancer cells and reduce her risk of another cancer diagnosis.

“Since I have the BRCA gene, I had a 50% chance of passing it on to my future child. If I had a daughter, she’d have an 80% chance of getting cancer. I didn’t want my child to go through that.”

Megan T.
SAMFund Grant Recipient

The Financial Path to Motherhood

From the moment Megan learned she carried the BRCA gene, she knew she would need to start a family via in vitro fertilization (IVF) to prevent passing it on to her children. Now married and years past treatment, starting the process proved difficult. Megan had to demonstrate the BRCA gene was in her family history, and both her father and husband had to undergo genetic testing. Once she and her husband began the IVF process, they discovered that insurance would not cover the costs of the medications needed for egg retrieval.

Megan underwent two rounds of egg retrievals, taking out a loan to cover the steep costs. While the medications alone cost $10,000, they refused to let the significant expenses deter them from moving forward.

Relief When It Was Needed Most

As the fertility bills mounted, Megan searched for grants to alleviate their financial burden when she came across Expect Miracles Foundation’s SAMFund Family Building Grant. The grant helped cover the costs of IVF, giving Megan and her husband some much-needed financial relief.

“Our family-building journey was a long and difficult process. EMF’s SAMFund grant provided significant emotional and financial relief, giving us one less thing to worry about.”

Megan T.
SAMFund Grant Recipient

Worth Every Step

A year after beginning IVF, Megan’s persistence paid off. On October 8, Megan gave birth to her son, Sky. The journey to motherhood reshaped Megan’s perspective in profound ways. Surviving cancer and navigating fertility treatments taught her resilience, patience, and the power of a positive mindset.

“There are so many unknowns in both motherhood and cancer, but having a positive outlook is critical. My cancer experience taught me to take things in stride and keep moving forward even when you don’t know what’s to come.”

Megan T.
SAMFund Grant Recipient