Sandy's Chemotherapy Fund

I am writing this on behalf of my friend Sandy Scherr, a retired Physical Education teacher with 33 years of service in the Miami area. Sandy received her master's in PE and worked with children her whole adult life. She began her career at North Miami Senior high school and that’s where the problems began. Due to the environment of asbestos, mold and mildew in the school Sandy was diagnosed with CML or Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. Many other teachers had health problems as a result of the working conditions at North Miami High. The principal even died in his 50's. Due to her illness Sandy was out of work from 2004 to 2006. Interferon injections, Cytoxan oral (immunosuppressive drug), and Gleevec oral (oral chemotherapy drug) medications were taken during this time to keep the Leukemia at bay and Sandy went into remission. Sandy Transferred to David Lawrence K-8 School where she remained in remission until 2010. Sandy made several attempts to notify her superiors of the working conditions at David Lawrence because she was suffering from severe respiratory issues and chronic sinus problems. The doctors dismissed her past history of Leukemia and started giving her weekly allergy shots. In 2010, Sandy became ill again and kept asking her doctors to look into her health history. In 2011 she began taking Gleevec oral medication for the Leukemia. She continued to work through April 2012 when she was finally diagnosed with stage IV Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia again. Consequently, Sandy was immediately put on disability at age 54. The final diagnosis was "sick building syndrome" or acute health related effects that are directly linked to time spent in a building that has overall poor working environments. In order to maintain her health Sandy's doctors suggested for her to move to Colorado since the dry climate could help her sinus problems. Her move to Colorado helped her overall health. Her white blood cell count was decreasing but the acute sinus issued remained. By the end of 2014 Sandy went from stage IV to stage I Leukemia and the oral chemo continued. September 2015, still living in Colorado (distant from all of her family and friends), Sandy was diagnosed again with Stage I CML and Wegener's Granulomatosis. Wegener's is a rare disorder of the blood vessels in the sinuses and causes inflammation. Wegener's disease left untreated can be deadly. This disease can manifest itself in other areas of the body but in Sandy's case it rooted itself in her sinuses. She started taking Methotrexate (another immunosuppressive drug) and Prednisone (a steroid to reduce the inflammation). Fortunately, the CML went into remission but the Wegener's disease went out of control. Sandy has been prescribed four chemotherapy treatments of Rituxan, one treatment a week at $20,000 for a total of $80,000. Fortunately, her insurance will pick up 80% which leaves a balance of $16,000. We are asking for $20,000 to be raised since there will be other post chemotherapy medications prescribed and in-home health care too. Wegener's is a rare disease which affects one in 100,000 people and can be deadly if not treated. There is no cure. Sandy has already been turned down by Genetech Access to Care Foundation (GATCF) which is a foundation that helps patients pay for treatment. Many people who help people have a hard time asking for help themselves. Many years spent away from her family along with all of the health problems related to the CML and Wegener's have taken a physical and financial toll on my friend. I want my friend back!!! We need the GoFundMe community to step up to the plate! Please help a teacher that has spent her whole career teaching kids about physical education and bettering the overall health of all of the students she came in contact with. Let's make it happen, it's time to bring my friend back to health!!!!