On Sunday night, I have 2 minutes to share my story on #LightUpMBC Live. It’s only 2 minutes. The best way to support me is to watch the event on your own or with a group of people. If you are local, my friends at Power Planter are hosting a watch party. I will share my 2 minutes story around or after 7:45 pm. You will also see and my friends from Creekside Nursery and Power Planter in a 1 minute video promoting our auction item.

We want everyone to understand what metastatic breast cancer is and that less than 5% of breast cancer research dollars are dedicated to metastatic breast cancer. I also hope you share my story or other information about breast density and why it matters so much.

You can direct people to My Density Matters. Their website is full of information on dense breast tissue. That organization works hard to get the information out and to influence the legislation we need. Recently they met with a large class of medical students so that all those future doctors will know what their patients with dense breast tissue need.

https://mydensitymatters.org/

Check out the LightUpMBC auction site that is already live. You will see the Creekside Nursery Signature Event listed.

https://e.givesmart.com/events/txu/

Please consider donating to LightUpMBC on my fundraising site. All proceeds go to Metavivor to fund research grants for MBC.

https://donate.metavivor.org/fundraiser/5554408

How to watch #LightUpMBC Live

TUNE IN TO #LIghtUpMBC Live On October 13th at 8 p.m. ET 

HERE’S HOW TO WATCH (as we stream live from HILTON SHORT HILLS)

• Locate the YouTube app on your Smart TV and find the @Metavivor YouTube Channel to view on the big screen!
• For a dual viewing experience, follow along on your phone on @METAvivor Facebook Live to engage with other viewers.
• Or… Visit www.LiveOne.com/LightUpMBC on your computer to watch the show!

To  learn more, please visit www.METAvivor.org/LightUpMBC and follow @lightupmbc social channels

IMPORTANT

Your support is overwhelming and I am so grateful for all of you. I am also still a person dealing with metastatic breast cancer and I’ve been pretty fatigued lately. I’m trying to preserve enough energy to make it through Sunday and then I have some days of rest planned. It still hurts to tell my story, even though I’ve done it so much over the last 5 years. And I will definitely keep doing it as long as I can so that MBC gets the research dollars and so all women with dense breast tissue get the scans they need to detect cancer at an early stage when it is still curable.

Thank you all so, so much for helping me do this. It means the world to me.

Today is my 89th treatment. Science is so cool.

I live over 3 hours from my cancer center, but if you have one close to you, please consider donating your time and talents.

There is a library with donated books and magazines. There are carts with art supplies people can use while they are stuck in the chemo pod. Groups knit hats and sew port pillows for the seat belt. Often an organization donates chapstick or moisturizer.

Light Up MBC has a live auction site that opened today. One of the items is special to me. It is a Signature Creekside Nursery Experience. It includes 2 tickets to Creekside Nursery’s very special annual event. Each ticket sells for $1000 and the auction package includes 2 tickets. Power Planter created an exclusive 32” pink auger, signed by Jenny Simpson of Creekside Nursery. White Rose Manor, an absolutely gorgeous bed and breakfast near the nursery, donated a two night stay for the package. So you can stay at the White Rose Manor while you are enjoying the Signature Creekside Experience.

Dave and I visited Creekside Nursery in September with our friend, Greg Niewold, from Power Planter. We recorded some videos. Creekside is utterly gorgeous. Check out their website site to see!

https://e.givesmart.com/events/txu/

Please check out the auction. All proceeds benefit Light Up MBC and Metavivor.

https://videopress.com/v/cop0UTwH?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

https://videopress.com/v/baqM4tS1?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

I was recently interviewed for the online magazine, “Bold Journey.” Here is a link to that article:

https://boldjourney.com/meet-heidi-punke-brown/

Dave and I had the pleasure of spending 2 days in Dallas, NC with our friends at Power Planter and Creekside Nursery. Greg Niewold owns Power Planter, based in Loda, IL, a few miles from our farm. Jerry and Jenny Simpson own Creekside Nursery in Dallas, NC. We have something exciting in store to help raise money for Metavivor and to spread awareness about Metastatic Breast Cancer and breast density. I will share details soon! For now, please enjoy some photos from our trip and check out the website for these 3 family-owned companies.

https://gardeningwithcreekside.com/collections/fall-foliage

https://powerplanter.com/collections/gardening-augers

https://whiterosemanor.com/

This poem fell into my life exactly when I needed it. It is by Donna Ashworth, from her book, “Growing Brave.”

This prayer fell into my life exactly when I needed it. The author is Saint Jeanne Jugan.

Dave & I left home at 4:30 am. I had neck down scans today followed by a visit with my oncologist and finally treatment #88. Scans show the cancer is still controlled neck down. I am experiencing medical burnout and asked to push the next neck down scans to 6 months instead of 3. To quote Dave, “She is tired of being probed.”

In 5 years:

Treatments – 88

Gamma Knife rounds – 3

Radiation to adrenal gland – 5 rounds

Radiation to left shoulder – 1 round

Breast MRI – 1

Spine MRI – 3

Heart MRI – 9

Echocardiogram – 7

Brain MRI – 18

Whole Body Bone Scans – 14

Chest/Ab/Pelvic CT – 19

Bone Biopsies – 2

Removal of cyst from my spine

Brain surgery to remove tumor #12

Radiation to brain – 5 rounds

I’m taking a break from capecitabine, one of the new chemo pills that makes me so terribly sick. When I start again, I will try to lower the dose yet again. I need it, but I also need to have a decent quality of life. It seems to be a fine line to balance when dealing with metastatic breast cancer.

I’ve got some busy weeks ahead and I need a little more energy to get through them.

Saturday, October 12 is the Chicagoland Be a Hero Fun Run to raise money for Metavivor.

https://raceroster.com/events/2024/91641/chicagoland-be-a-hero-fun-run

Sunday, October 13 is National Metastatic Breast Cancer Day. I’m advocating with LightUpMBC to raise money for Metavivor. I will share my story on the live, virtual broadcast at 7 pm. I hope you tune in to watch.

Here is my fundraising link:

https://donate.metavivor.org/fundraiser/5554408

Beginning October 14, I’m clearing my calendar for a break. Indie, Madi and I will be on my oasis doing a whole lot of nothing.

I had a brain MRI at Barnes early this morning. This was the first one since my brain surgery in April to remove brain tumor #12 followed by radiation in May. It was also my first brain scan since I switched to my second line of treatment. It was my 18th brain MRI. That is 18 brain MRIs since November 2021.

My last clear brain MRI was in February 2022 —- until today. 🩷💚🩵

It has been an especially difficult year for me physically. The side effects of the new line of treatment are rough. The goal of switching was to find one that crosses the blood brain barrier and it seems we have succeeded for now. I will get brain MRI #19 in 3 months.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we will be surrounded by pink wherever we turn. Did you know that less than 5% of the money donated to breast cancer causes goes to researching metastatic breast cancer? October 13 is National Metastatic Breast Cancer Day. Our ribbon is green, teal and pink to highlight the uniqueness of the disease and show its commonality with other stage 4 cancers. In the past we have sold Heidi’s Hope boxes to raise money and awareness. I have opted to pursue a different path this fall and I am hoping you will help me spread this information.

First, I am working with #LightUpMBC. All proceeds go to Metavivor for researching treatments for metastatic breast cancer. I have set a goal to raise $3000 dollars this year. Here is a link to my fundraising page:  https://donate.metavivor.org/fundraiser/5554408

Second, I will be participating in the Be a Hero Fun Run on October 12, 2024 in Plainfield, IL. This is part of the #LightUpMBC campaign so all proceeds go to Metavivor. I would love to have you join me. This is a fun event so there is no set distance and everyone generally walks. Here is a link for more information: https://raceroster.com/events/2024/91641/chicagoland-be-a-hero-fun-run

Third, I will be part of the #LIGHTUPMBC LIVE 2024 event on Sunday, October 13 at 7:00 PM CST. You can tune in on YouTube, Facebook Live or LiveOne for the one hour event of inspiring MBC stories at illuminated landmarks with special guests and musical performances to raise funds for metastatic breast cancer research to benefit Metavivor. State Farm Center on the University of Illinois campus has agreed to light up in green, teal and pink for that night. Dave will run the camera as I tell my story live on the broadcast. Friends are welcome to join us. https://www.metavivor.org/take-action/campaigns/lightupmbc/

Fourth, I am still an ambassador for My Density Matters. It seems like almost every week I receive a message from someone who has found out they have dense breast tissue but their physician is not ordering any scan beyond the regular mammogram. I direct them to our website and coach them on what to say to their physician.  I do not want my story to become anyone else’s story. Know your breast density and know what to do if you have dense breast tissue. https://mydensitymatters.org

Fifth, this fall you will see me on social media with my friends Greg Niewold, President of Power Planter, and Jenny Simpson, owner of Creekside Nursery in Charlotte, NC. There is a live auction on the LightUpMBC virtual event. Greg, Jenny and I will be presenting the opportunity to bid on a special package that you won’t want to miss. Dave and I are flying to NC in a couple weeks to film all the segments. Stay tuned for more information on this. 

Ways You Can Help

You can help me by sharing some piece of information with at least ten people you know. Print a resource page from the My Density Matters website and send to women you know through work, church, or social activities. Follow My Density Matters and LightUpMBC on social media and share their posts. Share my fundraising page through email or on your social media. Join me at the Be a Hero Fun Run on October 12. Tune into the LightUpMBC virtual evening on October 13. 

I am currently on a treatment that did not exist when I was diagnosed in July 2019. Research keeps me alive.