Jennifer Heckert discusses The Hope Run event

Terry and Jennifer discussed Jennifer’s journey from being diagnosed with stage 3C IBC in 2019 to becoming a board member of the IBC Network Foundation. They talked about Jennifer’s idea to create a fundraising race called the Hope Run, inspired by the foundation’s tagline “Hope Always,” to spread awareness and raise funds for IBC research. The event is scheduled for August 29th near Columbus, Ohio, with both in-person and virtual participation options. 

Transcript

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Terry Arnold: Hi, this is Terri Arnold, and I have with me one of our board members, Jennifer Heckert, and we're going to talk about some really unique things. We're going to talk about her, from how she's gone from a patient to a board member to now spearheading what we hope will be a singular IBC event. Hey, Jennifer, thank you for being here today.

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Jennifer Heckert: Thank you for having me, Terry, I'm very excited.

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Terry Arnold: Well, I know you're a behind-the-scenes person, and being on a camera is not your favorite thing, but I'm so glad to have him see your lovely face and hear your story. Now, you and I met when you were diagnosed, so how much do you want to talk about that, and then let's get into the other details.

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Jennifer Heckert: Okay, great. Yeah, I was diagnosed in November of 2019 with stage 3C, IBC.

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Jennifer Heckert: I, it was quite a surprise. I'd been getting annual mammograms, and, I noticed something was off. I went to my doctor, and, that's when we found out I had a 13 centimeter tumor in my breast.

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Terry Arnold: Crazy to think you're just walking around, everything's all fine, all of a sudden, you've got a 13 centimeter tumor?

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Jennifer Heckert: Yep, yep, yep.

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Terry Arnold: I've been mammograms for a while, but you were young at your diagnosis.

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Jennifer Heckert: Yes, I was 44.

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Terry Arnold: So you were barely older to even be having that?

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Jennifer Heckert: Yes, yes.

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Terry Arnold: So what happened next for you? Because you're up in Ohio.

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Jennifer Heckert: I'm sorry.

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Terry Arnold: You're in Ohio. I know we met in Ohio. What happened next for you when you were going about getting your care, or did you seek some opinions? Did you stick completely local? Did you hybrid it and make a combo?

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Jennifer Heckert: I did a combo. I did most of my treatment here in Ohio at the James. I was very fortunate to have a doctor who had treated

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Jennifer Heckert: prior patients with IVC, he had experience in the area, so he gave me a great program. I did, radiation and surgery in Texas at MD Anderson, and then finished up at the James.

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Terry Arnold: That's great. Well, I'm glad that you were able to take advantage of the things that were there, and I'm glad to know there were some good things. I have a strong love for Ohio, and I know you do too, because of Dr. Lori Gilgrenum, who did a lot to help us start the IBC Network.

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Terry Arnold: And then, one of her big dreams was there to be a clinic devoted to IBC in Ohio, and IBC Networks had a lot to do with that reality, and I see you nodding and smiling, because you know it's true.

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Jennifer Heckert: Yes, yes, yes, and they… and Ohio State does have a program here, so very excited to be, you know, that that's something that's local and available to me, and other ladies like me, or people who may have IBC.

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Terry Arnold: Meeting you at… going to meetups, I got to meet you in person, you made a really strong impression, and I was really excited that you showed, interest when I asked you to be on the board. You didn't go running and screaming, you're like, I think I'm ready. Can you talk about what that's like to be a board member of the IBC Network Foundation?

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Jennifer Heckert: Oh, it's very powerful for me.

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Jennifer Heckert: I feel like the IBC Napole is a critical part of me being here. It's, the program has spread awareness throughout the country with doctors, providers,

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Jennifer Heckert: nurse practitioners, and patients, so it's really helped me to be an advocate for myself and feel confident about sharing my experiences and the things that I need, and I think would help other people in the same situation.

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Terry Arnold: I know that you guys are super involved in Ohio, and your interest in running and fitness and racing and everything kind of led to an idea. As a board member, you saw an opportunity to do something really cool. Can we talk about it?

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Terry Arnold: This was 100% your idea.

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Jennifer Heckert: Oh, well, thank you. Well, so I used to be a runner, in my younger days. I hope to return, but I…

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Jennifer Heckert: I think this would be a great way to reach a new audience and spread awareness about our program and… and the illness, and what other ladies face, and just reach a whole new audience and raise funds for a great cause.

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Terry Arnold: race, and tell them why you named it what you named it, and what we're doing, because there's going to be a race, I'm going to go ahead and say this much. Saturday, August the 29th, near Columbus, Ohio, but tell them about how we brainstorm the name, and why you named it what you did, and what you hope it will become.

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Jennifer Heckert: Well, I… we named it the Hope Run after, your tagline, Hope Always, so I think it's a great… it's… it's about,

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Jennifer Heckert: Spreading hope.

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Jennifer Heckert: I think that's so much part of success with this disease, and, you know, everyone who's diagnosed with this is stage 3 or higher. So you've got to have something positive to think about with low survival rates and a

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Jennifer Heckert: High stage level diagnose.

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Terry Arnold: I think the idea of hope is wonderful, because the funds will go to research, and people might say, well, I don't have inflammatory breast cancer, or maybe I shouldn't be part of this room.

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Terry Arnold: But we strongly are seeing evidence that research that can stop a really aggressive late-stage cancer could be applied to something earlier, and a lot of doctors are saying getting behind that late-stage research is very, very important to the general population, so…

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Terry Arnold: I hope people won't think this doesn't apply to me, and maybe we could do something together this powerful for research.

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Jennifer Heckert: Yeah, so great. Well, breast cancer does impact 1 in 8 women, so if, you know, if you don't have IBC, you probably know someone, or yourself have been diagnosed with breast cancer. This is a form of breast cancer, and anything we can do to move the needle forward, I think it's beneficial to everyone.

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Jennifer Heckert: Even outside of… because…

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Jennifer Heckert: Well, a lot of treatments for cancer that are specific for breast cancer also work on other types of cancer, so it's, you know, would help everyone.

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Terry Arnold: I think it does involve everything, and I'm really excited, because I remember when you first came to me with this idea, and you were showing me, like, the logo, and it's this… it's this big sunbeam, and everything about it is so joyous and hopeful, and…

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Terry Arnold: It just kind of summarizes a lot of what we want to do. And so, the race has been set up for Saturday, August the 29th in the Columbus area. I'll let you tell them more about those details. But also, you can sign up virtually. So, if you want to participate where you live, come to Ohio. I don't run anymore. I'm too old, my knees are old. I'm going to be there helping, and some of my family is going to come with me.

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Terry Arnold: But… Tell them about the physical, location, and also the virtual opportunity.

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Jennifer Heckert: Yeah, so, the race is Saturday, August 29th at 9am at the Dublin Rec Center in Dublin, Ohio.

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Jennifer Heckert: And if you cannot be there in person, then you can sign up virtually. You can do that at your leisure. All participants who sign up early will get a t-shirt and finisher medal. So we've got… we're ordering t-shirts next week, so I'd like to get as many people signed up as possible so we get the right sizes for you guys.

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Terry Arnold: It's gonna be a lot of fun. I know, we were gifted a run in Houston, and so the idea of having one for us, about us, because when I went to the one that was gifted to us.

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Terry Arnold: Talk about a fun time.

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Terry Arnold: So, what's a better way to spend…

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Terry Arnold: Saturday, August 29th, and being able to run with you.

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Jennifer Heckert: Yes, I'm excited. I'm very excited about it.

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Terry Arnold: Okay, great. Well, I'm gonna put links in here, so people can see, and I hope you share this with your friends, because we all know somebody who lives somewhere, and don't miss that opportunity to participate virtually. Or maybe you say, you know, I'm not a runner, I'm not going to participate virtually, but I'd love to donate. We… we are a grassroots movement, and it does add up, and we…

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Terry Arnold: Take stewardship of those funds very strongly, and we want to stop this disease forever, and we need your help. Any parting comments, Jennifer?

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Jennifer Heckert: Hope to see you guys there!

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Jennifer Heckert: Thank you for listening.

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Terry Arnold: I can't wait. I cannot wait to see you soon. Take care.

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Jennifer Heckert: You too.