“So, at 33 years old, I was shaving my armpit and found a lump," said Heather Marchegiani.
Marchegiani, wife and mother of three, says she was shocked. It was triple positive breast cancer, and she shortly after began treatment.
“You immediately go into action mode. What happens next? What treatment do I need? When’s my surgery?” Marchegiani said. “So, you’re kind of at the mercy of your healthcare providers to walk you through it. And they were amazing, but it’s a process for sure.”
Six months of chemotherapy and a double mastectomy followed. It was tough on the young family.
Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Connecticut newsletters.
“We tried to put it in the context of yes, things are going to change in the next six to 12 months, but it’s temporary and there is an end to this,” she said, describing the conversation with her three children who were all under six at the time.
They used COVID as an example for the children to understand.
“We compared cancer to that. And we said, 'just like with COVID, you have to get better. You have to get treated. Just like COVID you had to get the shots, with cancer you have to get chemotherapy.'"
Local
During her recovery, a friend rode by her house during a Closer to Free virtual ride in 2021. Last year, she joined that friend – who’s also named Heather - and they formed team “Life is Good.”
“She had done a lot for our family and helping us get through it. And so, joining her in this effort to help others was just a really unique opportunity," Marchegiani said.
She rode 40 miles and soaked in the sense of community. It was a collective effort to raise money for Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center and to fight cancer.
“Seeing so many survivors out there, too, it’s just this hope, like wow, look at all these people who are saying ‘enough with cancer, we are going to finish this disease,'" she said.
Every dollar raised stays local and goes toward Smilow and Yale Cancer Center for research, treatment and survivor support programs.
Marchegiani is now almost two years cancer-free and navigating life and tough questions with three little kids.
“‘Well mom, what if it comes back?’ and that’s the process that happens when you become a survivor,” she said. “So, that’s where Closer to Free comes in. This is what we do now. Because mommy got better, we want to do this so we can help other people get better."
There are lots of milestones along the ride that people find incredibly moving. Marchegiani said the entire experience was emotional, coming full circle as a survivor.
And, at the end, she was focused on one thing.
“When I crossed the finish line and saw my kids, it was just this moment of pure joy, like you know, this is what we fought so hard for," she said.
