Jolyn Haugen meets Lainey Wilson at Summerfest (Courtesy: Aurora Health Care)
MILWAUKEE - GRAMMY Award-winning country artist Lainey Wilson surprised a Wauwatosa breast cancer survivor at Summerfest on Thursday night, June 26.
What they're saying:
Aurora Health Care and "The Big Gig" partnered to surprise Jolyn Haugen with a VIP experience. Haugen got concert tickets, some custom merchandise and met her favorite country singer backstage.
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Haugen was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in 2010, the health care system said. She underwent eight rounds of chemotherapy before having a bilateral mastectomy. During treatment, she learned she carried the BRCA1 gene – an inherited mutation that can lead to an increased risk of breast, ovarian and other cancers. One year later, as a preventative measure, she had a hysterectomy.
"(My care team) literally saved my life. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be here today. They are my superheroes," she said in a news release.
Giving back
The backstory:
FOX6 News shared Haugen's mission to surprise and help others in 2015.
As a survivor, she celebrates her cancer-free anniversaries by giving gift cards to those who are currently fighting the disease to help them feel supported. She hopes the small gestures make a difference.
"Just so they know that somebody is thinking of them and praying for them, and hoping things get better for them," Haugen told FOX6 in 2015.
The Source: Aurora Health Care released information for this story.