Diane's Battle With Cancer
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STRONG ENOUGH
Diane’s Battle With Cancer
I am starting this GoFundMe page for my very dear friend Diane. I have been lucky enough to have her as a best friend for about 40 years.
For the last 4 years Diane has been in an off and on battle with breast cancer and it breaks my heart to say that she is now going through the toughest battle so far. Yet, somehow, she holds her head high, looks for the positive in every situation, and vows to continue to fight each and every day! She is an inspiration!
Diane’s first diagnosis was in July, 2011. In September she had surgery to remove the lump and, because cancer cells still remained, two additional surgeries followed in October, and November.
In February, 2012 she started her first of 16 radiation treatments. Unfortunately, in early November, 2012 a mammogram detected another lump. An ultra-sound biopsy confirmed that it was cancer once again.
On December 17, 2012 Diane had a right side full mastectomy and breast reconstruction. In January, 2013 her body began to reject the implant and after 4 weeks of antibiotics the doctor decided it had to be removed. After 5 more weeks of checkups and antibiotics, she was free of the infection. She was given the option to try the surgery again but opted for no more surgeries.
2014 was a good year!! Then in May, 2015 Diane started to notice a small lump under the armpit of her right side. She was referred to breast cancer health and began the process of all the testing again. By the end of June she had the results…positive for cancer and then began a series of tests to determine the best form of treatment.
On July 21st she received the news from the Oncologist that the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes and lungs and was started on Tamoxifen. A bit of good news followed when a bone scan showed no cancer in her bones! Diane quit work at that time to focus on fighting this disease. She began eating a ‘cancer fighting diet’ which has helped reduce swelling and has allowed her to cut down on the amount of anti-inflammatory medication. In early September she found out how much this diet was helping when she was told that, although still very high, there was some improvement in her hormone receptor markers.
In early October tests showed that the cancer had continued to grow and a plan was put in place to start chemo. She also started medical marijuana and believes that it’s helping (although it has been a struggle to take it daily due to the vomiting from the chemo). She is doing 3 cycles of chemo and then will have a CT scan to see if it is helping. If so, 3 more cycles. If not, a more aggressive form of IV Chemo.
Any funds raised will go towards day to day living expenses, medical marijuana, and alternative therapies like Vitamin C injections. As I’ve known Diane for most of my life, I know her family means more to her than anything so I also think it would be ideal for her to be able to go away and relax somewhere with her husband Phil and her kids Kourtney and Phillip. Something they have never done before.
Diane’s Battle With Cancer
I am starting this GoFundMe page for my very dear friend Diane. I have been lucky enough to have her as a best friend for about 40 years.
For the last 4 years Diane has been in an off and on battle with breast cancer and it breaks my heart to say that she is now going through the toughest battle so far. Yet, somehow, she holds her head high, looks for the positive in every situation, and vows to continue to fight each and every day! She is an inspiration!
Diane’s first diagnosis was in July, 2011. In September she had surgery to remove the lump and, because cancer cells still remained, two additional surgeries followed in October, and November.
In February, 2012 she started her first of 16 radiation treatments. Unfortunately, in early November, 2012 a mammogram detected another lump. An ultra-sound biopsy confirmed that it was cancer once again.
On December 17, 2012 Diane had a right side full mastectomy and breast reconstruction. In January, 2013 her body began to reject the implant and after 4 weeks of antibiotics the doctor decided it had to be removed. After 5 more weeks of checkups and antibiotics, she was free of the infection. She was given the option to try the surgery again but opted for no more surgeries.
2014 was a good year!! Then in May, 2015 Diane started to notice a small lump under the armpit of her right side. She was referred to breast cancer health and began the process of all the testing again. By the end of June she had the results…positive for cancer and then began a series of tests to determine the best form of treatment.
On July 21st she received the news from the Oncologist that the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes and lungs and was started on Tamoxifen. A bit of good news followed when a bone scan showed no cancer in her bones! Diane quit work at that time to focus on fighting this disease. She began eating a ‘cancer fighting diet’ which has helped reduce swelling and has allowed her to cut down on the amount of anti-inflammatory medication. In early September she found out how much this diet was helping when she was told that, although still very high, there was some improvement in her hormone receptor markers.
In early October tests showed that the cancer had continued to grow and a plan was put in place to start chemo. She also started medical marijuana and believes that it’s helping (although it has been a struggle to take it daily due to the vomiting from the chemo). She is doing 3 cycles of chemo and then will have a CT scan to see if it is helping. If so, 3 more cycles. If not, a more aggressive form of IV Chemo.
Any funds raised will go towards day to day living expenses, medical marijuana, and alternative therapies like Vitamin C injections. As I’ve known Diane for most of my life, I know her family means more to her than anything so I also think it would be ideal for her to be able to go away and relax somewhere with her husband Phil and her kids Kourtney and Phillip. Something they have never done before.
Organizer
Laurie Poizer-Higginson
Organizer
Calgary, AB
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