Marbelis ‘Marbie’ Garcia Wonders is originally from South Florida. She’s lived in Lakeland since 2006 and teaches fifth grade at Willow Oak School in Mulberry. She has been married for over 26 years and has two grown children.

In the summer of 2022, Marbie went for a routine checkup. She was turning 50 in October and hadn’t had a mammogram for two years due to the pandemic. “I wasn’t very worried about it because I don’t have a history of cancer in my family,” she said.

Her busy life revolved around her family and her son’s senior year in high school. He was a member of the Dreadnaught marching band, and Marbie was president of the band boosters, helping oversee the concession stand as the team headed for a championship. Then came the second mammogram, a biopsy, and a phone call in late September: “You have breast cancer.”

Marbie was diagnosed with Stage 1 HER2+ breast cancer, an aggressive form of the disease. “I was stunned because I felt fine,” she said. “It was hard to wrap my mind around. That was a tough pill to swallow because there was nothing wrong with me.”

She quickly met with an oncologist and breast surgeon to decide on a treatment plan. By November 1, she had a lumpectomy, followed by a second surgery on November 15 to clear the margins. Treatment included 12 weeks of chemotherapy, 21 rounds of radiation—five days a week for four weeks—and a year of Herceptin and Perjeta every three weeks.

As medical bills mounted, someone from Watson Clinic recommended she apply to BCFCF. Marbie’s application was approved, and BCFCF paid her utility bills in full for four months. “That alone was a big help,” she said. “Paying that one bill gave us a little breathing room to figure things out. It was one less stressor so I could focus on healing.”

Today, Marbie is in remission with no evidence of disease. She has completed treatment and had three clear mammograms. She hopes to pay it forward with the organization that helped her. “I was someone who didn’t sweat the small stuff to begin with. I definitely don’t do it now.”