A Huntersville mother with terminal breast cancer is throwing herself a 49th birthday party in November because she may not reach 50.
Megan Bowlby, 48, hasn't had a birthday party since she turned 30. Her oncologist said she was confident Bowlby could make it two years after her stage 4 diagnosis. That was about a year ago.
"I don't want to wait for 50, and then 50 doesn't come," Bowlby said in a profile first reported by Lake Norman Publications. "So let's have a big 49th party, and it would be awesome to get to do it again at 50."
Before her diagnosis, Bowlby had lost 95 pounds and was walking three to five miles a day while working part-time at a preschool. She found a lump in her breast but delayed scheduling a diagnostic mammogram because of the cost. By the time she got in, the cancer had spread to her liver, lungs, lymph nodes and bones, including a hole it had eaten through her femur.
Bowlby said the diagnosis alone cost between $10,000 and $15,000.
At stage 4, treatment focuses on prolonging life rather than removing tumors. Bowlby received radiation on her femur to restore her ability to walk but did not have a mastectomy or other surgeries. She wears a fentanyl patch at all times and takes morphine for bone pain. She has taught her three children, ages 15, 13 and 10, how to use Narcan in case they find her unresponsive.
She had to leave her preschool job because of the risk to her weakened immune system. Much of her energy goes toward searching for grants and financial aid, most of which require extensive documentation.
Her oncologist told her reaching 50 is the goal but could not promise it. The doctor said Bowlby would not live to see her youngest child graduate.
Bowlby has sought advice from adults who lost their mothers young. Friends have sent cards and books for her to fill out so her children can open them on milestone occasions. She is recording messages for milestones she expects to miss.
A GoFundMe campaign organized by Jessica Davies describes Bowlby as a dedicated PTA member. Her treatment plan includes a chemo pill, radiation, shots to induce menopause, medication to block estrogen and infusions to strengthen her bones, according to the campaign page. The fundraiser remains open.
The family has found support through The Go Jen Go Foundation, a Charlotte-area nonprofit founded in 2009 that has granted more than $2.1 million to local breast cancer patients. Through the foundation, the Bowlbys have access to events and retreats, including an upcoming trip to Great Wolf Lodge.
A specific date and venue for Bowlby's November birthday party have not been announced.
Upcoming community events
- The Go Jen Go Foundation's "Sips for Support" fundraising campaign runs through Oct. 31, with local businesses raising money during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
