Jefferson Fite

In Memorial

I hope to help others that have lost their loved ones to breast cancer. I was 13 years old when we found out my mother was misdiagnosed and that she had stage 4 breast cancer. We lived in Florida at the time and her family lived in North Carolina, so my mom and sister (5 years old) left my dad who was working and moved in with my grandmother so my mom could go to the cancer center in North Carolina. There was a lot that happened but my dad drove up 9 hour one way to see us. Since I was young I don’t remember everything that was happening, all I could remember was my mom wasn’t doing well, she had to have a tracheotomy and couldn’t even speak or show up to the court or lawyer visits. I could tell this wasn’t helping her health because they were fighting for custody of my sister and I. Eventually my dad won and we went back to Florida. After a month or so my dad got a phone call that my mother had passed away, I remember hearing him crying from the other room. As a child this was a very hard time for me, I was 14 when she passed away. I wanted to make sure that I cared for my sister. I know her risk of having breast cancer is high. I also wanted others to know some of our story to remember how amazing my mother was and my father for raising my sister and I. I have already helped others with losing their parents or being diagnosed with cancer and I hope to continue to help others that will be infected with this cancer.