New Milford woman who lost sister to breast cancer shares story of overcoming her own diagnosis

Jamie Pleva Nickerson's story begins 20 years ago when her big sister Tracy felt a lump.

News 12 Staff

Oct 5, 2020, 5:30 PM

Updated 1,306 days ago

Share:

Jamie Pleva Nickerson's story begins 20 years ago when her big sister Tracy felt a lump.
She went to the doctor, she pointed to it and said, 'this isn't normal,' to which the doctor replied, 'Tracy, you are too young for breast cancer.'
But the doctor was wrong.
Before Tracy died, Jamie says her sister blazed trails for nine years helping to found the 'Young Survival Coalition', a national nonprofit.
In 2008, genetic testing revealed Jamie was a carrier for BRCA1, a type of breast cancer.
Knowing what she was up against, Jamie says she decided to have a prophylactic mastectomy.
However, pre-surgery scans reveled Jamie had cancer.
Doctors assured her that they would be able to remove the cancer through the surgery and chemotherapy.
"Some friends of mine reached out and told me, 'Jamie don't forget you want children in your future and chemo can rob that of young women.'”
Doctors harvested Jamies eggs the morning of Tracy’s funeral, and four hours later she was reading her older sister's eulogy.
Jamie says it was in the same room, that a friend's little brother provided a distraction.
"When Kevin asked me on a date I was like 'you are 23 I am 30, and I am in the middle of cancer... really?' Jamie says.
Kevin says he knew he liked Jamie before what she was going through, but she just didn't give him the time of day.
But that changed.
"I want marriage, I want babies, and I want it now, I want it fast," Jamie says. "Kevin was like, 'do we go to town hall now?'”
The parents now have twins, and as the years fly, joy and worry mingle.
Jamie says she is now working on a book about her sister's saga, and their battle with breast cancer.
"If we can help one other family to not go through what we did, that would be amazing," Jamie says.


More from News 12
2:32
Keeping kids safe: Youth curfew now in effect for the city of Newark

Keeping kids safe: Youth curfew now in effect for the city of Newark

1:46
Officials: Man killed in house explosion in South River identified as retired Newark officer

Officials: Man killed in house explosion in South River identified as retired Newark officer

2:16
Cloudy skies overnight; rainy weekend ahead for New Jersey

Cloudy skies overnight; rainy weekend ahead for New Jersey

0:42
NJ lawmakers criticize how Rutgers officials negotiated with pro-Palestinian protesters

NJ lawmakers criticize how Rutgers officials negotiated with pro-Palestinian protesters

0:28
Special election to be held to fill late Rep. Donald Payne’s seat in Congress

Special election to be held to fill late Rep. Donald Payne’s seat in Congress

0:27
Prosecutor: 2 people seriously injured in 3-car crash; driver charged with drunk driving

Prosecutor: 2 people seriously injured in 3-car crash; driver charged with drunk driving

0:42
Jersey Proud: Army ROTC students from Rutgers, Seton Hall and Princeton train together

Jersey Proud: Army ROTC students from Rutgers, Seton Hall and Princeton train together

0:30
Police: New York man pointed knife at pro-Palestinian protester in Teaneck

Police: New York man pointed knife at pro-Palestinian protester in Teaneck

0:27
Officials: Paterson man threatened to ‘shoot up’ JFK Int’l Airport

Officials: Paterson man threatened to ‘shoot up’ JFK Int’l Airport

2:02
Authorities: Major fire displaces 20 people from 9 families in Elizabeth

Authorities: Major fire displaces 20 people from 9 families in Elizabeth

1:04
Hillsborough school officials vote to end middle school sports, make staff cuts amid budget cuts

Hillsborough school officials vote to end middle school sports, make staff cuts amid budget cuts

0:49
Bridgewater-Raritan School District waives fees to participate in clubs, sports

Bridgewater-Raritan School District waives fees to participate in clubs, sports

0:39
Officials: 3 pedestrians, including 2 children, struck by NYC-based news van in Elizabeth

Officials: 3 pedestrians, including 2 children, struck by NYC-based news van in Elizabeth

0:28
GoFundMe started for 6-month-old boy and his grandfather killed by fallen tree in Verona

GoFundMe started for 6-month-old boy and his grandfather killed by fallen tree in Verona

0:40
Main Street New Jersey: Restaurants, businesses to visit in Edgewater

Main Street New Jersey: Restaurants, businesses to visit in Edgewater

3:21
Bridge over section of I-95 in process of being demolished due to damage from truck fire

Bridge over section of I-95 in process of being demolished due to damage from truck fire

1:12
Several house fires break out Thursday in New Jersey; 1 man dead

Several house fires break out Thursday in New Jersey; 1 man dead

0:18
South Brunswick police searching for missing man last seen on Route 1

South Brunswick police searching for missing man last seen on Route 1

0:23
South Orange woman indicted for stealing over $1 million federal benefits intended for dead aunt

South Orange woman indicted for stealing over $1 million federal benefits intended for dead aunt

1:26
Look up! Annual Eta Aquarid meteor shower peaks early Sunday morning

Look up! Annual Eta Aquarid meteor shower peaks early Sunday morning