Help Support Massachusetts Breast Cancer Patients With The Purchase Of Every Shirt!

Proceeds From Every Shirt Will Be Donated To The Ellie Fund & Help Local Women Undergoing Breast Cancer Treatment.

Calling On ALL Bostonians From Across The Country!

Each shirt sold will help a local patient financially, so they can focus on: Family, Recovery & Healing

Hurry! Shirts Are ONLY Available Until October 31, 2021

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Note: A $4.95 shipping fee will be applied for each shirt purchased.

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Yes! Add A Crewneck Sweatshirt!

ONE TIME OFFER ($49.95): Add a Make Breast Cancer UnCommon Crewneck Sweatshirt to your order for only $49.95! This shirt is great for brunch, lounging, shopping & coffee runs! This is a ONE TIME OFFER and this will be your ONLY CHANCE to claim this crewneck! (93% of customers added this shirt to their order)

Yes! Add A $50 Donation!

ONE TIME OFFER ($50): Add a $50 donation added to your order and make a BIG impact towards helping local women going through breast cancer treatment throughout the state! Every dollar raised will make a HUGE impact towards bills and various expenses patients encounter. This is a ONE TIME OFFER and this will be your ONLY CHANCE to make a donation! (90% of customers added this donation to their order)

Yes! Add A $100 Donation!

ONE TIME OFFER ($100): Add a $100 donation added to your order and make a BIG impact towards helping local women going through breast cancer treatment throughout the state! Every dollar raised will make a HUGE impact towards bills and various expenses patients encounter. This is a ONE TIME OFFER and this will be your ONLY CHANCE to make a donation! (82% of customers added this donation to their order)

A Partnership Between...

Hear Their Stories...

Emily

My name is Emily and I have been a Boston resident for over two decades. In June 2020, amid a global pandemic and being an essential health care worker, I found out that I was positive for the BRCA 1 gene mutation for breast and ovarian cancer. Seeing my grandmother die from breast cancer, my brain immediately shifted into “what can I do to stop this?” and I started researching my options. A few months later, I received a mammogram and breast MRI and got the call that there was a lump in my right breast that needed to be biopsied. It has been an emotional roller coaster ever since. I decided to go forward with receiving a double mastectomy. The first staging of it was done in June 2021 at the wonderful hospital I work at, Massachusetts General. The final staging of it will be in just a few weeks – November 1, 2021, in San Francisco. The mental, emotional and physical toll of breast surgery and undergoing a double mastectomy is something that has tested me more than I can put into words. We (our community) just keep going because a.) we don’t have a choice and b.) we look at all the women who have gone through this before us or are currently fighting and we owe it to them to be just as courageous. But the truth is, breast cancer is not as glamorous as the pink ribbons and fight slogans you see everywhere in the month of October. It is months of crippling anxiety about the unknown, finding surgeons, degrading yourself every time you have photos of your breasts taken in an office by a stranger, being strong for family members who are grieving when you are trying to handle your own grief, massive scars that make you feel inadequate, medical bills, the list goes on and on.

Being in this community, I started to feel the impact of “pink washing”, which is a term that’s used to describe a marketing tactic that exploits the breast cancer community for personal profit. We have massive organizations that collect money for “breast cancer research” by plastering pink ribbons everywhere. Not a single breast cancer patient sees a cent of that money for their personal loss or hardships. There are so many things we run into financially that impact us in this community. For example – my insurance company does not find it necessary to pay for the nerve grafting portion of my upcoming double mastectomy, as having feeling in your breasts is considered aesthetic and unnecessary. It is the norm for us to be completely numb and accept it after our procedure. I also had to undergo 4 mammograms within one year. Even as a BRCA or breast cancer patient, insurance companies limit the number of mammograms they will pay for within a year. Mammograms are several hundred dollars out of pocket. Missing work is a huge battle we face in this community as we need several days off for testing, healing, surgery. Those of us without cars spend hundreds on Uber rides to appointments and procedures. Buying special front zip clothing, bras, drain belts, and various necessary items we need after a double mastectomy that companies sell at inflated prices because they know we have no choice but to buy them. There are numerous expenses that face us – coupled with everyday bills, food, rent (don’t get me started with Boston rental prices), raising children, etc. My goal has been to channel the anxiety and struggle I am going through into something for positive change within my community. We must stand up to pink washing. We need to start getting these funds allocated to women in a way that takes the financial burden of breast cancer off them and their families. This should be the last thing that you worry about when you are fighting to live, thrive and feel whole again.

Stefanie

On March 19th, 2021, after having an intense workout, having endured a year as nurse during the pandemic, as well as enduring a very tumultuous divorce that was failing at mediation, I noticed “dimpling and striation” on my left breast, that wouldn’t fade, after the removal of my sports bra. When I proceeded to do a breast self exam, I immediately palpated in my “tail of spence” (armpit), a hard, fixated lump, and a 2-3+ palpable cord that extended all the way to my nipple. Being prescribed a progesterone only birth control pill, I knew that this was a thrombophlebitis that could only have occurred if hormonal cancer was present in my breast, so I immediately called my OB GYN, and was seen in the office emergently on March 22nd, to which I was expedited and scheduled for a mammogram on March 25th, even though I am 39 years old, with no close family history of breast cancer. After undergoing my first Mammogram, I was emergently forced to have an Ultrasound guided biopsy of 3 suspicious areas in my left breast that was sent out for pathology. No one could talk me out of what I already knew, “I had breast cancer.” My doctor called me, and cried with me, on March 30th, confirming my worst fears. It has been a whirlwind ever since. I told my children, Ava (10 years old) and Jaxon (7 years old) that I had cancer, but no matter what, nothing was going to happen to me, that very same day, that I spoke to my doctor.

On April 21st I had my first ECHO to ensure that my heart was in good working order for treatment to start. This would continue every 3 months until the completion of my cancer treatment. The next day I had my first MRI guided biopsy with a 9 gauge needle. I didn’t know they made needle sizes that big, and I am a nurse! At the completion of the procedure, I went out to the changing room, and noticed the pressure dressing and my hand, and blood-stained johnny had at least a half pint of blood loss, and needed help fast. I pulled the cord for the emergency team, and I got rushed back to radiology to have a stitch placed on my insertion site. After I felt better, and maintained NPO status, I walked carefully to the other campus across the street, unattended by anyone, to the Rosenberg building. While waiting in the waiting room, my former co-worker grabbed me and somehow orchestrated me to receive special treatment, and expedited everything related to the port procedure.

I was discharged and at my sister’s home recovering, earlier than expected. Chemotherapy began on May 3rd and some side effects were immediate. I had loss of taste, 50% hair loss even with “cool-capping,” loss of eyelashes, loss of eyebrows, systemic rash that made my chemotherapy change from one drug to another, new chemo that still gave a nonsystemic painful rash, bloody noses, impetigo in my nares, and mucous membrane burns. I experienced the rare side effect of a laryngeal hemorrhage, that literally silenced me for 9 weeks, facilitated me to take steroids, antibiotic therapy, and antifungal therapy, and got me to be followed by an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist, as well as a speech pathologist. Placement of a device to help the surgeon mark and navigate the infected lymph nodes surgically, that failed to register on the day of surgery, and failed being capable of being removed, was another let down. Chemotherapy ended on July 19th, and I was hopeful that I had a “complete response” to Chemotherapy. On July 21st, I had my second ECHO, ensuring my heart was unchanged, since prior to chemotherapy, as well as another MRI and Mammogram on August 3rd, to ensure I was able to have my scheduled radical left breast mastectomy with lymphatic reconstruction, and placement of implant, on August 27th.

Between surgical follow ups preceding surgery, covid swabs, infusions of antibodies, Pre-Admission Screening, I finally had my surgery, on August 25th, instead of August 27th, and was led to believe that my surgery was a huge success, and I was discharged home to recover, the next day. On August 30th, I had my first postoperative Plastics appointment, to which they removed one of the drains in my armpit, told me to finish the 7 day oral regimen of antibiotics, while leaving 1 drain in my armpit, in place. The drain site continued to get red and irritated, well after the oral antibiotic regimen was completed, and I informed my surgical team of my concerns. They were not concerned and were directing me to have a licensed nurse, to remove the 2nd drain on September 8th, according to the decrease in drainage output.

I saw my oncologist, September 9th and received devastating news that I did not actually have a complete response to chemo, as already assumed and reported. It was a very emotional day for me, because I already had the mindset that I only needed radiation after surgery, but now being told I needed to have “The Red Death” of chemotherapy, Adriamycin and Cytoxan (AC), for 8 weeks. Feeling defeated, I still rallied forward to defeat this Breast Cancer Monster.

Saturday September 11th, was a wonderfully validating day for me. I had had a lovely walk with my friend, and was grabbing coffee, in the center of my town of Sharon, MA, when an elderly woman had a medical emergency that I responded to. Everything went seamless for her and she was treated appropriately and effectively, while I developed severe complications of a MSSA bacterial infection in my left breast, causing intense pain, redness, and swelling. I was admitted to the hospital for five days, on September 12th, awaited cultures of the bacterial infection, and received IV antibiotics that were not improving my prognosis, as well as another drain placement in my left breast.

Finally, once the cultures resulted, and I was placed on the proper IV antibiotics, I was discharged home on September 17th, to manage all my IV care every 8 hours, and administering my own IV antibiotics, by myself, through my own central line, as well as my drain care and management of the infection, as well as my left leg graft site, that still refused to heal from surgery, back in August, I finally turned a corner and slowly began to improve. As I continued my 2 week course of IV antibiotic infusions, the new left breast drain was removed in my Plastic Surgeon’s office, on September 22nd; however, the left leg graft site dehisced on September 24th.

The 4 way conference for divorce went productively well on September 30th. I was diligently executing wet to dry dressings on my left leg, when I happened to notice something metallic in the wound bed. I pulled out a staple and continued with my treatment plan, and informed my medical team and staff, on October 1st.

I received my first chemotherapy infusion of “Red Death” on October 5th, with very little side effects noted, to date, had my Divorce Discovery hearing on October 7th, with very positive feedback from my council, and she predicted to the judge, that we plan to finalize things in 60 days, which is very promising for me to see light at the end of the tunnel, ensuring that I can put 100% of my focus on battling my breast cancer, as well as parenting my children, to the best of my ability.

It has been a treacherous long dramatic road, but I am starting to believe that I am immortal. People have always told me that “God only gives you what you can handle.” My life is proof of this, because I have always believed that I will forever conquer all of life’s obstacles.

I am humbled by this opportunity to bring awareness to early detection, treatment, and cure of this horrible disease, so that others are empowered to never neglect their own health. Breast Cancer doesn’t have to be a death sentence, even if life’s adversity throws you for a loop. Just keep your head down and plow forward, would be my best advice. I

am overwhelmed with emotion to be selected for this honor of support, and again humbled by PurelyBoston selecting me as a recipient. This is my breast cancer journey, to share.

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Lindsay

My name is Lindsay and I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer at the young age of 30 during the height of the pandemic in May 2020. I had no family history and I discovered the bump one day when I got out of the shower. I had no symptoms, and I was too young to receive yearly screening. I immediately made an appointment with my primary care physician and they honestly didn’t think it was anything serious at my first appointment. I pushed to get a mammogram, and they said immediately after I needed a “emergency biopsy”. I received the painful biopsy along with several imaging tests, like ultrasound. The following day, my doctor called me to confirm it was cancer.

I researched the best doctors in my area, and went to MGH. Where they repeated mammogram and several other tests. I did genetic testing as well ancd i do not have the BRCA gene thankfully, but it made more of a mystery to get cancer this young with no family history.

My doctors told me I would have to start chemo right away, but fortunately I was able to do IVF treatments for approximately two weeks. Which I am very thankful for, because some patients do not get that opportunity. I did my egg retrieval in June 2020 and they were able to freeze over 50 eggs! Immediately after my egg retrieval, I started AC chemo for 6 treatments bi-weekly.

The doctors didn’t like that the AC wasn’t working to shrink my tumor. The doctors then switched my chemo to weekly treatments with Taxol & Carbo. They also added in bi-weekly immunotherapy treatments. After I was done with chemo & immunotherapy, I had about a month off before I had my double mastectomy with reconstruction in December 2020. I started my 25 treatments of radiation in February of this year and this believe it or not was the hardest part of my treatments. My doctors put me on a trial drug which I believe made my treatment much harder. I was also given a bolis (wet towel) over my right breast during every treatment which irritated my skin so bad I had to go to the ER twice. My heart rate was skyrocketing & I wasn’t able to do any activity along with a very bad wound from radiation. I was given my fourth blood transfusion and saw a wound specialist which luckily did the trick. I then started an oral chemo in April 2021 and I am still currently on this medication. I believe I will go a hormone medication once I am done with this oral chemo for 5-10 years.

It’s amazing how naive I was about cancer and how long this journey would be, but I am so thankful to still be here fighting!

Rhoda

Rhoda debated skipping her annual mammogram in April 2017. She had just received a bill of clean health from a similar screening a few months earlier for a specific issue her doctor was following. As an ultrasound and imaging professional, Rhoda knew she should still go to the appointment just in case

Soon after, the call came, additional tests were run, and she received a breast cancer diagnosis. It was overwhelming news to receive. Thoughts raced through her mind, “How will I cope? Can I work? Rhoda and her husband knew they had to get through the next week, to her youngest daughter’s college graduation, before they could tell their kids.

It was a picture-perfect day with her four children and husband together celebrating the momentous occasion of her baby receiving her college diploma. After lunch and before her kids went their separate ways, Rhoda broke the news of her diagnosis to her adult children. With conviction and strength, she consoled her children, “This will be okay. It’s treatable. You hear things happening to others and now it’s happening to our family, but it will be okay. We just have to help each other out.” That positive, straightforward outlook is how Rhoda got through her year of treatment.

Click here to read the rest of Rhoda's story.

Jennifer

With a baby at home the last thing Jennifer Gale ever imagined was a breast cancer diagnosis in her 30s. After finding the lump and seeing her doctor, she entered a whirlwind of testing and planning. Jennifer’s cancer was aggressive and would need a bold treatment plan.

First was four months of chemotherapy, then a lumpectomy, followed by weeks of daily radiation treatment. How was this going to work with her daily commute from the South Shore into Boston? “It was a daunting decision because you don’t know how you will respond to treatment and if you can work or not.” Jennifer decided to take a medical leave of absence from work. With her husband going in for back surgery, it was a 1- 2 punch.

It was at Dana-Farber Cancer Center at South Shore Health, Jennifer connected with a resource specialist in the oncology department who introduced her to Ellie Fund and its services. Needing her mother to drive her to and from chemotherapy and her husband at home unable to care for her daughter, Jennifer asked Ellie Fund for a child-care reimbursement. One day per week her daughter was able to socialize and play at daycare, while Jennifer received treatment. “The childcare help was the missing piece that stitched my treatment planning together.” She also utilized Ellie Fund’s grocery gift card services. “Going to your mailbox and opening grocery gift cards is a feeling of relief I cannot describe,” explained Jennifer.

Click here to read the rest of Jennifer's story.

Ileana

At first Ileana blamed her persistent cough on her blood pressure medication that kept being changed. It was the start of the pandemic, and getting into a doctor’s office was close to impossible. Finally in May, Ileana went to urgent care and was first given antibiotics and then steroids to treat what the doctor said was pneumonia. Her breathing was only getting worse. In September, she went back to the urgent care center and was told she needed to go the emergency room because of her low oxygen levels. Wanting to avoid the high-cost ambulance ride, Ileana refused and instead drove herself to the ER. That ER visit would change her life forever.

After some tests, the ER doctor delivered Ileana news she did not expect. It was cancer causing her breathing issues. This wasn’t the first time Ileana, a single mom of a teenage daughter, was told she had cancer. She was in remission for 11 years from her first breast cancer diagnosis. This time it was different. The cancer was metastatic. It had already spread from her breast to her ribs, back and lymph nodes.

Leading up to her first follow up appointment Ileana had a feeling of impending doom. How would she provide for her teenage daughter? How long did she have?

Ileana immigrated to the US from Panama and had no family in the area and only a few close friends. After that first appointment, Ileana got a better understanding of her diagnosis, “I’m not dying yet,” she shared. Although there was no cure, there was treatment available to keep the cancer from growing and spreading.

Click here to read the rest of Ileana's story.

YES! Get My Shirt Now! [Click HERE To Get Your Shirt]

When Will I Get My Shirt?

Shirts will ONLY be available to purchase until October 31, 2021. Shirts will be printed in weekly batches.Please allow 7-10 business days for production and 2-3 business days for shipping after the campaign has ended to receive your shirt. All orders will be shipped USPS, and you will receive an email with a tracking number once your order has shipped.

We ship nationwide, including Hawaii and Alaska. Shirts will be printed and shipped from the mid-west. Please note shirts will not be printed & shipped until the third week of February. Once your order is received at the postal service, we will send you an email with TRACKING INFORMATION.

If you'd rather not enter your information you can also call us direct Monday - Friday 9AM-5PM EST at 855-482-8899 or send us an email at: support@purelyboston.com and we'd be happy to answer any questions you have!

How Much Money Will Be Donated?

Proceeds of all funds raised will be donated to DIRECTLY help Emma, Stefanie, Lindsay and the Ellie Fund.

We ship nationwide, including Hawaii and Alaska. Shirts will be printed and shipped from the mid-west. Once your order is received at the postal service, we will send you an email with TRACKING INFORMATION.

Are These Shirts Printed In America?

YES! All shirts are printed right here in America with local hands! To ensure quick shipping throughout the country, all shirts & items from this campaign will be printed and shipped from Missouri.

What Kind Of Shirt Is It?

All shirts will be printed on a unisex soft style 100% cotton shirt.

Can I Get A Long Sleeve, Crewneck, Hoodie or Mug?

Yes! This design is also available in Long Sleeve, Crewneck Sweatshirt & Hoodie! Just add the items to your cart as you are checking out! There is also products you will see after you checkout to add to your cart with just one click!

How Much Is Shipping To My State?

We are only charging a flat shipping fee of $4.95 for each shirt ordered. All orders will be shipped via USPS. You will receive an email with a tracking number once your order is shipped.

What Service Do You Use To Ship?

USPS First Class Mail. You will receive an email with a tracking number once your order is shipped.

Do I Have To Pay Tax?

No, we are currently not charging tax on any orders.