Literally my last chance
Donation protected
Literally my last chance to effective
cancer treatment!
I am trying to raise money to cover the cost of my cancer treatment in Boston, US.
I have been dealing with all that cancer means for the last 7 years: from treatments so harsh that you want to give it all up, to financial problems due to being on and off work. Throw in the mix caring for my breast cancer dying mom while I was on chemo. Tough times!
I left no stone unturned and I was always somehow able to come up with a solution to pull thru to the next step, and then the next, and the next!
Here is a short history of my 7 years of cancer:
My ovarian cancer was discovered in 2006, when I was 32 years old and it was already advance - stage IIIC. Since then I have done numerous treatments: 3 major surgeries, 2 platinum chemotherapy (than it stopped being effective), radiation therapy and so on. In April this year after my last surgery I was declared by my hospital to be in "palliative care".
There is still one last chance for me: to be treated with a couple of cancer drugs that are not yet approved as standard treatment, that are still in the clinical trials stages - PARP inhibitors. These drugs could miraculously work for me because they are showing great results in people with genetic BRCA mutations of the type that I have.
I am not able to make peace with "palliative care" without trying the PARP inhibitors. I have been watching the PARP inhibitors buzz for years and always hoped I will get to be treated with them. I am right on the mark as the type of patient they work best on! And I hope and pray I am on the mark by taking this step and writing this letter!
Unfortunately, there is no such trial going on in Canada at this point.
With tons of work and stubborn persistence I managed to get accepted in a study conducted by Dana-Faber/Harvard Cancer Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre in Boston, Massachusetts. Both my doctor and the principal investigator of the clinical trial agree that this would be the best avenue in my case.
The upcoming treatment is experimental and is not covered by OHIP or my insurance company. I am responsible for the cost of the care, and that involves a lot: blood analysis, medical imaging, hospital stays, weekly travel to Boston and so on.
Beside what we have managed to come up with ourselves, I still need a minimum of 25,000 USD to cover my treatment cost and I do feel like I am truly at the end of my rope!
I am terrible ashamed of asking for money but at this point this is my last resort: could anyone please help me out with the costs? From the bottom of my heart I promise to somehow pay your kindness forward when the possibility arises. No contribution is too small. Thank you!
I am trying to raise money to cover the cost of my cancer treatment in Boston, US.
I have been dealing with all that cancer means for the last 7 years: from treatments so harsh that you want to give it all up, to financial problems due to being on and off work. Throw in the mix caring for my breast cancer dying mom while I was on chemo. Tough times!
I left no stone unturned and I was always somehow able to come up with a solution to pull thru to the next step, and then the next, and the next!
Here is a short history of my 7 years of cancer:
My ovarian cancer was discovered in 2006, when I was 32 years old and it was already advance - stage IIIC. Since then I have done numerous treatments: 3 major surgeries, 2 platinum chemotherapy (than it stopped being effective), radiation therapy and so on. In April this year after my last surgery I was declared by my hospital to be in "palliative care".
There is still one last chance for me: to be treated with a couple of cancer drugs that are not yet approved as standard treatment, that are still in the clinical trials stages - PARP inhibitors. These drugs could miraculously work for me because they are showing great results in people with genetic BRCA mutations of the type that I have.
I am not able to make peace with "palliative care" without trying the PARP inhibitors. I have been watching the PARP inhibitors buzz for years and always hoped I will get to be treated with them. I am right on the mark as the type of patient they work best on! And I hope and pray I am on the mark by taking this step and writing this letter!
Unfortunately, there is no such trial going on in Canada at this point.
With tons of work and stubborn persistence I managed to get accepted in a study conducted by Dana-Faber/Harvard Cancer Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre in Boston, Massachusetts. Both my doctor and the principal investigator of the clinical trial agree that this would be the best avenue in my case.
The upcoming treatment is experimental and is not covered by OHIP or my insurance company. I am responsible for the cost of the care, and that involves a lot: blood analysis, medical imaging, hospital stays, weekly travel to Boston and so on.
Beside what we have managed to come up with ourselves, I still need a minimum of 25,000 USD to cover my treatment cost and I do feel like I am truly at the end of my rope!
I am terrible ashamed of asking for money but at this point this is my last resort: could anyone please help me out with the costs? From the bottom of my heart I promise to somehow pay your kindness forward when the possibility arises. No contribution is too small. Thank you!
Organizer
Radu Simbateanu
Organizer
