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As of Wednesday, Nov. 8, more than $20,000 had been raised on a GoFundMe page for Rachel Hegarty, who was recently diagnosed with Stage 3 cervical cancer that then spread to her lymph nodes.
The 40-year-old Chesapeake Beach, MD native says she felt something was off for months.
It began in January 2022 with unusual discharge, which Hegarty chalked up to minor infections, or possibly something thyroid related.
At the time, she was working non-stop. Her photography business had taken off during the pandemic. So, taking care of herself fell by the wayside, as work took priority.
It wasn't until August of last year that Hegarty could no longer ignore the mild symptoms she was experiencing. She began experiencing severe bleeding — hemorrhaging, really — and went to the emergency room.
"They didn't know what was happening or why," Hegarty said. "They really didn't have any solution for me and told me to follow up with my gynecologist."
And so, Hegarty set out on a quest to understand what was happening to her body.
She went to one gynecologist, who she says didn't test her. Neither did the next one, nor the next one. The sixth doctor did, though, and by then three months had passed.
Three months later, on Valentine's Day of 2023, Hegarty's worst fear was confirmed: Cervical cancer, Stage 3.
"I was expecting those results by that point, just based on what the doctor had told me," Hegarty said. "I was hoping it wouldn’t be as advanced. That was shocking."
Hegarty underwent chemotherapy and radiation, which cleared the cervical cancer by July, she said.
"I had finished treatment and gained my strength back a little," she said. "I started working more, just part time, and was finally able to do photo shoots of my own."
But then, more bad news: The cancer had spread to her lymph nodes.
"That was devastating," Hegarty said. "I was planning a vacation and a celebration of some sort, then it was like, no, not doing that."
While Hegarty feels emotionally drained and is in an increasing amount of pain every day, she's now armed with a new team of doctors at Johns Hopkins, and an even stronger support system.
"Through all of this, my now fiancé — boyfriend at the time — was my main caregiver, especially going through treatment," Hegarty said. "He was living with me, doing everything for me... and sacrificed a lot."
The silver lining in Hegarty's diagnosis, she says, is how it brought her and Kennedy closer.
On Oct. 19, he proposed during a photography session that Hegarty thought was for their anniversary.
She shared the photos and detailed the special weekend on her website.
The next chapter gives Hegarty new motivation as she works to rid the cancer in her lymph nodes, which requires about seven weeks of chemo and radiation, she said.
"They say if you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything," Hegarty said. "But what I realized is that if you don’t have your health, you have nothing except your community. That really is all you’re left with. And that was what got me through."
Hegarty rekindled a friendship that had fallen by the wayside, a woman who Hegarty says has been a major support, and a gift. She grew closer with Kennedy, and the donations that poured in on GoFundMe reminded her of the good in the world, she said.
"Feeling the love and support from people has been such a gift to me," the photographer continued. "I didn’t always recognize that before. Especially throughout pandemic and being a business owner working all the time, it can be isolating and lonely, and this has been a reminder that there are people out there that care and love and support me."
"Above all else, that’s what pulled me through... and looking at the GoFundMe has been really overwhelming," she continued. "I’ve had to limit myself from looking too much because I become overwhelmed by people’s generosity. I feel appreciative that people are able to be so generous."
Click here to donate to Rachel Hegarty.
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