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Sandy Jessop, of Wall, served alongside her now-husband, Christian Jessop, during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004, then deployed again to Iraq in 2008.
The couple share three children together and are both high school teachers.
About one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, Sandy -- a teacher at Freehold Regional High School -- was diagnosed with breast cancer.
"It was confirmed I have breast cancer on Saturday," she wrote in an Instagram post. "I expect a long hard road ahead of me. Here, I will document the journey. The good, the bad, the ugly ... but it will all be part of my road to a happy, healthy me, wife and mom of three."
A fellow veteran and friend of the family, Christa Recio, launched a GoFundMe for the family amid Sandy's cancer battle.
"[Sandy's] undoubtedly the kindest, most generous person I know and has a heart of gold," the campaign says. "When I see her circles of support, it’s because she’s magnetic and radiates unicorn power."
Her Instagram page is a raw look into her journey.
"This week I thought a lot about allllllllll the energy that’s been poured into me," she writes. "From everyone and everything, to save my life. From doctors and all the training they’ve had, all the machines, all the medicines, all the therapists, all the nurses, surgical technicians, pharmacists, radiation technicians, and even the physicists that make the calculations for this proton machine.
"It all comes together perfectly to save little ol’ me and that is SO humbling ❤️."
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