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Community Corner

UPDATE: Friends Raise Funds for Former Clawson Resident Battling Breast Cancer

Patty Williams continues treatment after discovering she had breast cancer earlier this year.

Note: This story has been updated from an article published in the Clawson Patch on Aug. 29.

A year ago, Clawson native Patty Williams celebrated a new life when her baby, Ainsley, was born.

But in June, when Williams took Ainsley in for her one-year checkup, the young mother's world was turned around. Her daughter was diagnosed with a tumor on her adrenal gland that had to be removed immediately.

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This prompted Williams to get herself checked. The news for the 1994 grad was worse — Stage 3 breast cancer. Williams went from the joy of life to the horrors of a deadly disease — times two.

Williams resides in Marquette and is the director of a day care, but she has no medical insurance with the job.

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But it's the tough times like this that bring out the best in others.

In September, friends and former classmates raised $7,000 at a special benefit to help cover Williams' rising medical bills.

The event, Rock the PINK for Patty, was held at in Troy on Sept. 10.

Friend and high school classmate Heather Johnson said the benefit was "a great success with several donations from local businesses."

"Norm's Field of Dreams added to this success by not only their hospitality but their own donations of food and money," Johnson said.

The Rock the PINK for Patty event featured music from acoustic mixes to tunes from local bands. 

So far, Williams, 35, has had multiple surgeries to remove both breasts and cancerous lymph nodes. Johnson said Williams has completed seven to eight aggressive rounds of chemotherapy and will continue with less aggressive chemo treatments through next year. After that, she will have radiation. 

"She still has a very strong spirit, however continues to battle the nausea and weakness," Johnson said.

Children's Hospital of Michigan performed the surgery on Williams' daughter and discovered that her case was Stage 1 cancer.

"(Williams has) been through a lot of stress, and where she works doesn't provide any medical benefits," Johnson said. "So when I talked to her friends up there and I talked to friends down here, we could see there was no way she could ever pay off these medical expenses."

Even though Williams has been put on Medicare to defray costs, there are thousands of dollars of medical work not covered. Williams' medical bills could easily surpass $250,000. But her friends and family are steadfast in their goal to help her beat the cancer and the costs associated with it.

"It hit me kind of hard," lifelong friend Jenna Fennelly said. "Growing up, we had that sisterhood of a friendship, living four houses down. We grew up with summer birthdays, always around each other. Her fight is just so strong, but it's shocking."

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