A Little Support During A Difficult Time

Hey, it’s Peggy and I’m Kathy’s daughter (in case you didn’t know).

On Friday September 20, 2024, Kathy noticed a small lump on the right side of her neck, which had grown to the size of a tennis ball by Sunday. Through a full range of testing (ultrasounds, bloodwork, CT scans, an MRI, two biopsies, a PET scan & tonsillectomy) doctors discovered that her right tonsil was cancerous, and provided a diagnosis of Squamous Cell Carcinoma (P-16).

Based on the location of the cancer in her throat, she is unable to receive treatment at our local cancer facility in Kitchener-Waterloo. There are only three locations in Ontario that staff E.N.T (Ears, Nose, Throat) Oncologists: Hamilton, London or Toronto. Given none of these locations are convenient, we selected Hamilton, as McMaster University is closely affiliated with our family doctor.

The Good News:

This cancer is 100% treatable, and has an 80-85% remission rate with radiation. Kathy started treatment on December 2, 2024. Chemotherapy was offered and declined, as the treatment would only add a 3% increase in remission odds over 5 years. Currently she’s scheduled to have 35 doses of radiation (5 days a week for 7 weeks, not counting holidays).

The Not-So Good News:

Unfortunately, because treatment must be completed in Hamilton, and winter showed up early in Southern Ontario, this means that Kathy needs to leave at least 2-hours before her appointment time, and then faces a 2-hour drive back to Waterloo. Because of the nearly 5-hour travel and treatment time, she has been put off on short term medical leave for the foreseeable future.

The scheduled 35 daily doses of radiation are in addition to the 10 visits already made to Hamilton for testing and surgery. When you factor in the price of parking, wear & tear on our vehicles, and the cost of fuel, the numbers quickly skyrocket. This does not include the emotional, mental and physical costs that we both will experience.

The Ask:

So many of you amazing friends and family have constantly asked how you can help, and we’ve been overwhelmed with offers to take Kathy to appointments, provide us with food, and overall support. It does not go unnoticed, and there are not enough words to express our emotions and gratitude to everyone who has reached out.

The biggest hurdle we face now, is the financial one. While we’re extremely lucky that all radiation treatments have zero cost thanks to our free health care, unfortunately there are additional expenses that we tend to forget about when going through treatment.

Being down to one income has already taken a toll on both Kathy & I, as we struggle to make sure the lights stay on, and that Kathy continues to eat through treatment. While EI sick benefits will provide some assistance, it doesn’t replace the entirety of Kathy’s income.

Most people know that Kathy & I are extremely stubborn and proud, and that asking for any financial assistance is the absolute last thing we’d ever want to do. Unfortunately, we find ourselves in that exact situation now, and we need your help.

I know money is tight, and times are hard for everyone currently, especially as we come into the holiday season. If you can spare even $5, it would go a long way to help us during this difficult time.

Love,

Kathy & Peggy