Never Saw it Coming: The Brooke Valentine Story

By Noel Smith

Brooke Valentine is a fitness professional. She has been helping and teaching others to be fit since 1979. She worked at Seascape Sports Club, Lifestyle Fitness, Toadal Fitness, and at Spa Fitness for over 30 years where she was a manager and in sales and marketing. In that time her enthusiasm and energy has touched thousands of people.

In October of last year (2015) she found out that she has breast cancer. It was through the results of her yearly mammogram that the word came. There was no warning. Her health has always been excellent and her family does not have a history of cancer. “I have always been proactive about my health,” said Brooke.

The type of cancer she has is called HER2. According to the Web MD Website, (http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/guide/her2) “Researchers aren’t sure what causes breast cancer. They think it may be a combination of things, including your genes, environment, and lifestyle. But genes don’t play the same role in HER2-positive cancer as they do with other kinds. You can’t inherit a bad copy of this gene from a parent, and you won’t pass it on to your children.”

At the age of 62 Brooke found herself in the difficult position of having a life threatening disease without employer-provided health insurance. She has “California Covered” insurance but this has a $5,000 yearly deductible. This meant that within three months of the diagnosis, she already owes a total of $10,000 for 2015 plus 2016 in her fight against cancer. In addition there are medical expenses not covered plus her normal bills while she is not able to work. “I didn’t realize how quickly debt could grow,” said Brooke.

Brooke also has no family living to help her emotionally or financially… but she does have a great support group of friends and her hero is Mighty Mouse as a symbol of Brooke’s fight for success in the battle against cancer.

Anna Jenkins, her friend and former employer at Spa Fitness wrote us, “You may remember Brooke Valentine, a manager with Spa in both Capitola and Watsonville for so many years. She is fighting a serious breast cancer. Aleta (Johnson) and a large group friends are going to do a fund raiser in April at Michaels on Main.”

Her friends have also helped establish a fundraising website at (www.youcaring.com/brooke-valentine-467857).

According to her friend Aleta, “Brooke’s treatment involves 18 weeks of Chemotherapy with 4 different cytotoxic drugs. She will have an MRI about 3 weeks after her last treatment on March 3. If the MRI shows it has not spread, she will have surgery 2-3 weeks after that followed by radiation 5 days a week for 6 weeks. If the MRI shows it has spread to other areas, more chemo and possible other steps will be taken. It’s a long haul and Brooke will be out of work for a year but she has a plethora of devoted friends who have come out of the woodwork to support her through this time so that she does not have to face it alone.

“Brooke ALWAYS brings FUN, LAUGHTER, GENUINE CARING and a POSITIVE ATTITUDE wherever and whatever situation she finds herself experiencing. She takes this same spirit with her to all of her chemo treatments and puts smiles on everyone’s face!”

Brooke would like to acknowledge her “Ground Crew,” friends who have been helping her cope with life during this difficult time: Anna Jenkins, Lisa Whitman, Brenda Sproule, Denise Barnett, Cynthia Larsen, Aleta Johnson, Terry Hardin, Stephanie Gelman, Vickie Scharnikow, Rose Moiseff and her daughter Bianca. And she warns, “Don’t treat cancer as if it couldn’t happen to you.”

The American Cancer Society recommends yearly mammograms after 40-45 years of age.

The restaurant, Michael’s on Main, has volunteered to host a fundraiser on Sunday, April 3 from 2 – 5 p.m. for an auction and raffle to help Brooke cover her medical costs. Music will be by The Bros & Friends plus 7th Wave. Visit the Facebook page: “Fund raising event page for our good friend Brooke Valentine”

Already donated items for the Raffle: Stella Page NY Handbag • Fran Battendieri Necklace • Local Restaurant Passbook • Garden Treasures Unique Driftwood Cross & Planter • Linda Barmann’s “Capitola on my Mind” 12x 24 acrylic painting • Skincare by Katalina Pamper Package • Local Golf Package • The Seashell & Beach Glass Hand Crafted Mirror by Stephanie Gelman

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To purchase or distribute raffle tickets contact Aleta Johnson at lunafinca@sbcglobal.net