The Woman With Metastatic Breast Cancer Who Made Lemonade From Lemons

In 2013, Jennifer Reynolds received a breast cancer diagnosis. She found herself pretty much going through the treatments and the anxiety that comes with that diagnosis without knowing anyone else who had been on this journey. Once Jen was done with her treatments, she felt a passion to help others. It started with a simple blog, making drain bags and pillows for those locally who had mastectomies, and grew into a program where warriors could reach out to other warriors and survivors for support and information so they never felt alone.

From Left: Jennifer Reynolds and Charlene Doll.

Photos by Izzy Morales.

Unfortunately, Jen received another diagnosis September 2018. The ugly beast had raised its head again and was now metastatic. The cancer was now in her liver and spine and Jen could barely stand or walk before an operation. Some would have lain in that bed and felt sorry for themselves, but Jen found her strength in continuing to help others even more.

Out of Jen’s little idea in 2014 and dedication has grown a nonprofit organization, Pink Warrior Advocates, that offers support to breast cancer warriors and survivors through several programs, including the following:

• Chemo and mastectomy kits.
• Mastectomy bra program in concert with AnaOno.
• MetaWish, which grants wishes to stage 4 warriors.
• TV Thursdays.
• Financial aid: Before COVID-19, our community blessed Pink Warrior Advocates with donations that gave us the ability to award up to $10,000 per month to help local warriors with medical bills, rent, food, etc.
• With Jen’s innovative fundraiser ideas, Pink Warrior Advocates continues to be able to give up to $5,000 per month locally during these COVID-19 times.

All of this would be an amazing feat for a healthy person, but Jen has metastatic breast cancer. She has had to change treatments several times in the past three years. With each one, she has had to learn to deal with new side effects. Through it all, she keeps a positive attitude and works hard to make this organization better and help more people.

Jen has truly learned to take the lemons life threw at her and make some very sweet lemonade for others.

I hope you will be able to see what a special person she is. Being her mom, I have always known that, but what she has accomplished truly amazes me every day and so many others in our community.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Jennifer Reynolds died in January 2022 before this book went to print. Our thoughts go out to her family and friends.