Hi. My name is Karen Hawes and I’m fundraising to help my sister's family get through yet another round of treatment for cancer care. Ingrid Hanka has been battling fallopian tube carcinoma since she was first diagnosed December 2014. Ingrid discovered that she was positive for BRCA1 mutation and went ahead with preventative surgeries, including a bilateral mastectomy and complete hysterectomy, to decrease her risk of cancer. Unfortunately, they discovered cancer had already started growing and she would need to start chemotherapy right away. Over the last 9 years, Ingrid has undergone 24 rounds of chemotherapy, surgeries to her lungs and chest wall. craniotomy to remove a tumor in her brain, followed by dozens of rounds of rations therapy and multiple courses of oral therapies,

This past July while going through her latest rounds of chemotherapy for a metastasis to her lung she began to experience excruciating head pressure and fatigue. Unfortunately all of her concerns where dismissed as most likely side effects of the therapy even after 3 ER visits and being admitted to the hospital for three days. She was told over and over again she was suffering from complex migraines. Ingrid was completely disabled by it, unable to drive or be independent anymore. This past week Ingrid and husband's perseverance paid off with a new Nero Oncologist. After a spinal tap in the office revealed abnormally high cranial spinal fluid pressure (cause of the headaches} and cancer cells floating in the fluid ( cause of the high pressure) . So despite having finishing 6 rounds of chemo for the fourth time she is now set to start whole head and spine proton radiation in Boston very soon. With medical appointments almost everyday in the past several months and more to come only to be followed 10 consecutive days of proton radiation treatment. When that's done Ingrid and family will still have to begin again dealing with the cancer that is still left in her chest.

Ingrid's husband Erik is her primary caretaker bringing her to appointments, treatments and most importantly caring for her during recovery. As you can imagine with the amount of cancer care she has been requiring Erik has long exhausted his paid time off. Everyday he has had to take off to care for her in recent months he does so unpaid. With the end of the year fast approaching and knowing Ingrid's care will likely continue through most of next year and beyond, They will also be hit with a new $5500 insurance deductible to start off 2024.

Any help will ease their burden and worry as they begin the next portion of their journey. I thank every single one of you for your love, caring and generosity.

Karen Hawes