A letter from JUREA BOLDEN

My name is Jurea Bolden, I am the mother of three amazing children, a beautiful granddaughter. I am the oldest of four siblings. I am originally from San Francisco, CA. but moved to Louisiana in 1997 to be closer to my grandparents. I am currently working for H&E Equipment Services, Inc, as a Payroll Coordinator

On February 28, 2022, I was diagnosed with Stage 2B Triple Negative Breast Cancer. TNBC is an extremely aggressive cancer. Chemotherapy started shortly after. My treatment plan consisted of CARBOplatin, TAXOL and KEYTRUDA. This plan was for 24 weeks. Each week I would walk into the Infusion Department with a smile on my face and my head held high. I refused to let Cancer defeat me. There were days when I may have been a little tired but overall, I pushed through it.

I can honestly say that my journey was not all bad. I asked God to give me strength every day. I remained positive though the good and the tough times. I pushed through every hurdle/obstacle that came my way. I was optimistic. I continued to have faith and I believe in the power of Jesus Christ!

I am happy to report that I AM CANCER FREE!!!!!

To my children; you three have been my rock. You kept me grounded when I did not know how I was going to make it though. You continued to push me. You were my motivation. You all are the wind beneath my wing. A special shout out to my daughter, Sydnei. You devoted your entire Senior year to taking care of mom. The endless days and nights, the countless drives to and from doctors’ appointments, whether they were here in Baton Rouge or in New Orleans. Thank you for your words of encouragement, telling me that I can get through this. I appreciate how you stepped up and took care of me hand and foot. I am so proud of the young lady you have become. I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for you.

To my H&E Family; God knew exactly what He was doing when He gave me all of you. Your love and support continue to strengthen me daily. You are all so thoughtful and caring. I am blessed to be a part of such a loving family.

To my Ochsner Team, you have all been amazing throughout this entire journey. Dr. Brooks and the Oncology Team; Ms. Angie and the Infusion Department; Tameka Martin, Ashley Snowden, and Dr Jakob just to name a few. You have all been and continue to be super supportive. I appreciate you all so much.

I would like to thank Dr. Zafar and Dr. Wright (The Center for Restorative Breast Surgery – New Orleans) I came to you not knowing what the outcome was going to be after surgery. I trusted you both wholeheartedly and you both did an amazing job! I can thank you enough for playing such a key role in my journey.

The Pastor Gregory White and my Beech Grove Family, God is good!!! Your love and continued prayers carried me through this journey and continue to carry me everyday. I love you all.

And to you, Mr. Jeremy Couvillion! I thank God for you. What you have created is truly a blessing to all of us. I am grateful and honored to be selected as one of the beneficiaries for 2023 Clash of the Cooks!