Introducing Aimée Hegar

Aimée was born in Montana, but moved to Texas soon afterward. Her family spent time all over the state, but she remembers spending more of her childhood in Giddings and College Station, Texas. Aimée comes from a big, loving family, even though they no longer live close to one another. She is a creative spirit who spends her free time painting and playing guitar.

Aimée learned she had stage 3 breast cancer in July of 2020, when she was just 50. She noticed the lump in her breast right at the start of COVID-19, but she decided to wait to get checked because of the circumstances, a decision she now regrets immensely. Waiting often means missing the window of early detection and can increase many of the risks that a cancer diagnosis brings. When her diagnosis came, she was shocked, since breast cancer does not run in Aimée’s family, but her shock eventually gave way to fear and confusion. She did not know what the future would hold and how she would get through this.

Aimée is very lucky and has built an excellent support network around her. The outpouring of love and support from friends and family was overwhelming, and Aimée didn’t realize just how many people cared about her until her diagnosis. She has people to rely on, but she still has to face the scary reality of cancer on her own. The next step for Aimée is chemo. She will undergo ten rounds of chemo, then surgery. She may then have to undergo radiation and chemo, depending on how her cancer responds initially.

Aimée’s message to women in her community is to get tested early and often and not to wait if you find something suspicious on your body. Because cancer, especially breast cancer, doesn’t run in her family, Aimée never felt she had to worry about it, and she urges other women not to take the same approach. Cancer can affect anyone, regardless of family history.

Battling cancer requires enormous strength and resilience. Aimée draws from her loving family and friends, and the support of her workplace. These people allow her to stay connected to the community and focus on the fight. She has applied for funding through the San Juan Medical Foundation’s Cathy Lincoln Memorial Cancer Fund, and is hugely grateful for not having to worry about finances during this time.

Your support helps women like Aimée receive financial assistance for medical exams, diagnostic testing, medication, treatments and travel.

Please donate to the Cathy Lincoln Memorial Cancer Fund today.