Dena Tompkins Shanburn Memorial

Dena was a very strong and independent person her entire life. To those around her she was a wonderful example of unconditional love and the true meaning of the word family. Just two months ago however, she was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer that had spread to her liver, lungs, and lymohnoids. Although the prognosis was not good, she agreed to try chemotherapy to slow the process down and prolong her life at University of Michigan hospital in Ann Arbor. When she arrived at the hospital for her first treatment, just two weeks after her diagnosis, she had some other cancer related complications and was admitted to the hospital to try and make her more comfortable before treatment. After further testing it was discovered that in just two weeks between her diagnosis and her entrance into the hospital the cancer had spread to the bones as well, and the doctors had lost their window for treatment. Dena passed away early in the morning on July 4th, 2016 at only 69 years old and only 8 weeks after learned she had cancer.

Dena was on a fixed income, with only enough to make her monthly bills. In the past two months medical expenses have piled up and Medicare only pays a limited number of these cancer related expenses.

Our goal is to raise enough money to help with the unpaid medical expenses as well as her memorial service.