Senior accountancy major Marlene Nevarez was diagnosed with stage four, metastatic breast cancer three months before her graduation.

Marlene, 22, transferred to NIU from the College of DuPage on a transfer scholarship and was scheduled to graduate from NIU with a bachelor’s degree this spring. Her schoolwork has been put on hold due to the disease, which has spread to her liver and bones.

“I just thought I was just going to the doctor for a stomach flu one day, and then they started taking all these tests,” Marlene said. “They were doing all these exams, and I had to get a mammogram, and I was just like ‘What is going on?’”

Marlene was diagnosed on Feb. 29 and was immediately sent to Elmhurst Hospital, 155 E. Brush Hill Road in Elmhurst, to begin chemotherapy treatment.

Cancer is not new to Marlene’s family, as her aunt died after being diagnosed with stage four breast cancer.

“At first I was just going to get four treatments, but the first treatment was really aggressive and it destroyed all my white blood cells,” Marlene said. “I got transferred from Elmhurst Hospital to [Loyola University Medical Center] because of a bad reaction from the antibiotics.”

Marlene started two different chemotherapy treatments at Loyola University Medical Center but got another infection. Her next step is to get approval from her oncologist to start chemotherapy again.

With her body not responding well to the chemotherapy treatment, Marlene said her lifestyle has changed.

“I was working at Planet Fitness, attending school full-time and [playing] soccer, and now I can’t because physically I’m not strong enough,” Marlene said. “At first I had problems walking because of the antibiotics, and I also get full easily.”

Her support system has helped during a time of high dependency on others.

“My mom has been very supportive because she changes my wound bandages and has to help me shower at times,” Marlene said. “My brother Abel [Nevarez] comes to all my visits ,and he translates all the information from the doctors to my parents [who] can’t speak English fluently.”

Marlene said her friend Arely Acuna, who is a cancer survivor, has been helping her through the process especially with the side effects like losing her hair, which is really emotional for Marlene.

Abel has created a GoFundMe to raise $250,000 for expenses. As of May 8, the GoFundMe has raised $11,380 in 17 days.

“School loans, car payments, medical and living expenses swiftly arise, and our family ask for your help … . Words cannot describe how much we love Marlene,” Abel said on the GoFundMe page. “Her health and well-being means the world to us.”