QNE_p039

QC10202016

FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com OCTOBER 20, 2016 • WELLNESS • THE QUEENS COURIER 39 BUSINESS WITH A HEART by Jerry Martin Only weeks before her prom, 18-year-old Brittney Beadle got the shocking news that she had a rapidly spreading cancer, one that her doctors determined was terminal. The young, beautiful girl from Scranton, PA was quickly scheduled for a double mastectomy before she even graduated high school. The news sent shockwaves throughout her family, including Jackie D’Elia, a distant relative living in Whitestone. D’Elia reached out to Doctor Vinciguerra at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, who specialized in oncology and agreed to see Brittney. Instead of sorrow and surrender, he found an upbeat smiling young lady ready to beat cancer and continue on with her plans and life itself. Brittney is an enthusiastic young woman whose positive core seemed to refuse the severe diagnosis. Like most young people, Brittney has plans and a future, and a determination to live them. While Dr. Vinciguerra began to coordinate her chemo treatments with her doctors back in Scranton, Brittney missed her prom, and instead faced her first chemo treatment at the hospital with her mom Karla at her side. Soon her smiling graduation photo in her cap and gown with her mom who had also cut off all of her hair in solidarity with her daughter, began to spread throughout the internet on Facebook, and prayers began for Brittney all over the country. As expected, the slender young girl lost her hair to the chemo treatments. Enter Lois Christie, of Christie & Co. Salon who became aware of Brittney’s story and stepped up to offer expert hair extensions free for Brittney at her elegant Salon in the Bay Terrace Shopping Center, in Bayside. As soon as she re-grew enough hair to attach her new longer hair extensions, Marisa Miranda, a master stylist at the salon, gave Brittney back the beautiful hair that she had lost to her chemo treatments. The match was perfect and Brittney’s new look is exquisite; her beaming young face says it all. After a difficult year-long battle against the disease, and despite the original terminal diagnosis, young Brittney emerged in remission. She will live on and continue with her plans for her future. There are many heroes in this story beginning with Brittney herself, and many who we will never know who prayed for her, spread her story, and stepped up for this enthusiastic and now restored young lady with a future. A grateful Brittney, her family and friends thank every one of you.


QC10202016
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