In the face of devastating news, Luling’s Julia Dubret, 50, plans to fight. About a month ago, Dubret was feeling fatigued and sought medical attention to determine the problem. A trip to the hospital and a biopsy revealed a spot on her lung, which at the time was not thought to be cancerous. A week later, now at home, falling sodium levels caused hallucinations and lack of energy.
Dubret returned to the hospital and, this time, the news was far worse.
“They found a tumor … they said it was cancer,” she said. “I asked what stage, and was told, ‘stage four.’ I thought, ‘Why did I have to ask that? She just handed me a death sentence.’”
The small cell lung cancer. Dubret said, yielded a terminal prognosis, but she said she is nowhere close to giving up hope. This fight, she said, has just begun.
“They said one year, maybe two,” Dubret said. “I’m not going to just rely on a doctor to tell me it’s over. I’m still in a state of denial. I’m not ready to go and I’m going to do everything I can to turn this around.”
A single mother, she has a 24-year-old daughter, Whitney, a Hahnville High School alumnus, who has taken on the earner role in their household.
Dubret had to take leave from her job as a bartender when her health issues began and it doesn’t appear she’ll be able to return anytime soon.
Further complicating things, Dubret noted, is she won’t begin receiving Social Security income until June, and her health is covered only by Medicaid insurance.
“(Whitney) is my rock,” Dubret said. “She’s been wonderful. She can’t handle all of my bills, though.”
Dubret’s friend, Debbie Chatelain, began a GoFundMe page to help her cover expenses.
Chatelain met Dubret about 10 years ago when the former owned a bar — she hired a band Dubret was singing with at the time, and the two hit it off.
Chatelain said Dubret’s upbeat personality shines through brightly whoever she meets.
“She’s just so easy to talk to,” Chatelain said. “Our daughters are the same age and we became fast friends. I’ve never seen Jules turn her back on anyone who needs help.
“It’s such a sad situation. At 50, you don’t even really think about cancer … she’s too young. Her daughter is too young to be without her mother. I know she’s gonna fight, though.”
Chatelain said the tumor grew two centimeters between Dubret’s trips to the hospital, which were three weeks apart. It also spread to her liver. The cancer is considered aggressive, with a high likelihood of spreading elsewhere if not treated immediately.
Dubret was scheduled to begin chemotherapy and alternative medicine treatments this week, while she will also be seeking a second opinion. Once the initial shock of Dubret’s news began to pass, Chatelain quickly began thinking of a way to help.
“I just knew, ‘she just bought a car, she’s got a note,’ Chatelain said. “Someone mentioned GoFundMe … I just want to do anything I can to help her along.”
For anyone who would like to donate, the GoFundMe page is titled “Julz Dubret Cancer Treatment,” at the address https://www.gofundme.com/julz-cancer-treatment?ssid=897923736&pos=33. There are also plans in the works for a fundraising event for Dubret in the near future.
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