A 2-time cancer survivor helps families with the unseen burdens of the disease | KD Sunday Spotlight
Being diagnosed with cancer can be very isolating, and for one woman, her lived experience motivated her to start a nonprofit that helps children, teenagers, and young adults in the fight.
Brett Wilson is a two-time cancer survivor, and she's the woman behind the Walking Miracles Family Foundation Cancer Support Center.
"When I was diagnosed, I was 22 months old," she recalled. "Living in West Virginia, it was really hard to get care in a rural area like that."
In the 1970s, doctors told Wilson she had just five years to live.
"So, I am a very, very, very rare case," she said.
Rare for beating two cancers, and now she's 53 years old. She knows survivorship, and it goes beyond ending treatment.
"It never stops, and the long-term side effects can continue," Wilson said.
A lot of radiation treatments meant she needed a new valve when she was 40, and now, she's moved from West Virginia to Pittsburgh. With a new lease on life, she's focused her time on helping other cancer patients and their families through the nonprofit.
"That is the whole point for Walking Miracles Family Foundation, because I can educate people in a way most people can't," she said. "I'm not trying to brag, or anything like that, but I've been there, done that, and I understand what you're going through."
The nonprofit started in 2012, and it has helped more than 900 families through counseling, resources, and financial support. That includes packages with money for travel and lodging expenses - an unseen burden.
"They don't understand the impact," Wilson said. "I'm dealing with a family right now that has had no income for four months."
Beyond the money, there are t-shirts specifically for cancer treatments with port valves. They also provide tablets to keep track of doctors' notes, appointments, and more.
"I know that if I don't do what I'm doing, nobody is going to help them," she said.
Social workers in Pittsburgh, through Allegheny Health Network and the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, can refer you to the nonprofit, as well as in West Virginia. Families can also apply online to get help.
The next step for Wilson is working on funding for a fertility preservation fund. She said she is working with local jewelers to raise funds.
