Supporting Shannon’s fight against breast cancer
Donation protected
Dear Friends and Community,
I'm Anna, reaching out to share the story of someone incredibly dear to us all – my friend, Shannon Lowe.
As a labor and delivery nurse, Shannon has devoted herself to safely caring for and guiding many families into their new beginnings. Whether through complicated pregnancies, emergency deliveries, joyous birthdays, or devastating losses, Shannon has been there for her patients, coworkers, and community without fail. For years, she's worked as a dedicated nurse on the night shift, bringing comfort and compassion to families during their most vulnerable moments.
Recently, Shannon experienced great vulnerability herself, as she learned she has the life-changing diagnosis of breast cancer. After finding lumps in her breast and lymph nodes and undergoing a costly and extensive diagnostic process, she now knows she has stage 3 invasive ductal carcinoma, with a 4-7 cm mass in her right breast and spread to several of the lymph nodes throughout her chest.
This is an aggressive cancer to have at the age of 35, and treatment will entail a battle that requires chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. Shannon’s treatments will take about 7 months to complete as she progresses to survivorship, with extensive time off of work required for treatment and recovery.
In the midst of planning the battle ahead, Shannon faces some unique challenges that are making her journey even more daunting.
Firstly, as a new nurse at Munson Medical Center, she hasn’t yet accrued paid time off or long-term disability benefits to support her income during this critical time. Because of her recent job change, which she undertook to provide nursing care to her home community, she has been without any income since her diagnosis, and will remain so until she can at least intermittently return to work.
Adding to the strain, Shannon will be traveling to and from Detroit, MI for her treatments every 1-2 weeks. This is a trip that is 250 miles each way, or about a 3.5 hour drive.
Unfortunately, there are no specialized surgical breast oncologists, or a dedicated breast cancer center in the area where she lives, and Shannon and her family know that with a diagnosis at such a young age, this specialized care is essential.
The costs associated with her treatments and travel, including hospital co-pays, prescriptions, ancillary treatments, fuel, accommodations, and other travel expenses, have become a mounting and overwhelming burden.
Now, more than ever, Shannon needs our support. Let's come together to lift the weight off her shoulders, allowing her to focus on healing rather than worrying about mounting expenses.
Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a significant impact. Your generosity will not only ease the financial burden but also serve as a powerful reminder that she is surrounded by a community that cares deeply for her well-being.
Please share this message with your networks, and let's rally together to support Shannon in her fight against stage 3 breast cancer. Thank you for being a source of strength and hope during this challenging time.
With gratitude,
Anna
I'm Anna, reaching out to share the story of someone incredibly dear to us all – my friend, Shannon Lowe.
As a labor and delivery nurse, Shannon has devoted herself to safely caring for and guiding many families into their new beginnings. Whether through complicated pregnancies, emergency deliveries, joyous birthdays, or devastating losses, Shannon has been there for her patients, coworkers, and community without fail. For years, she's worked as a dedicated nurse on the night shift, bringing comfort and compassion to families during their most vulnerable moments.
Recently, Shannon experienced great vulnerability herself, as she learned she has the life-changing diagnosis of breast cancer. After finding lumps in her breast and lymph nodes and undergoing a costly and extensive diagnostic process, she now knows she has stage 3 invasive ductal carcinoma, with a 4-7 cm mass in her right breast and spread to several of the lymph nodes throughout her chest.
This is an aggressive cancer to have at the age of 35, and treatment will entail a battle that requires chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. Shannon’s treatments will take about 7 months to complete as she progresses to survivorship, with extensive time off of work required for treatment and recovery.
In the midst of planning the battle ahead, Shannon faces some unique challenges that are making her journey even more daunting.
Firstly, as a new nurse at Munson Medical Center, she hasn’t yet accrued paid time off or long-term disability benefits to support her income during this critical time. Because of her recent job change, which she undertook to provide nursing care to her home community, she has been without any income since her diagnosis, and will remain so until she can at least intermittently return to work.
Adding to the strain, Shannon will be traveling to and from Detroit, MI for her treatments every 1-2 weeks. This is a trip that is 250 miles each way, or about a 3.5 hour drive.
Unfortunately, there are no specialized surgical breast oncologists, or a dedicated breast cancer center in the area where she lives, and Shannon and her family know that with a diagnosis at such a young age, this specialized care is essential.
The costs associated with her treatments and travel, including hospital co-pays, prescriptions, ancillary treatments, fuel, accommodations, and other travel expenses, have become a mounting and overwhelming burden.
Now, more than ever, Shannon needs our support. Let's come together to lift the weight off her shoulders, allowing her to focus on healing rather than worrying about mounting expenses.
Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a significant impact. Your generosity will not only ease the financial burden but also serve as a powerful reminder that she is surrounded by a community that cares deeply for her well-being.
Please share this message with your networks, and let's rally together to support Shannon in her fight against stage 3 breast cancer. Thank you for being a source of strength and hope during this challenging time.
With gratitude,
Anna
Organizer and beneficiary
Anna Volodarskaya
Organizer
Traverse City, MI
Shannon Lowe
Beneficiary