Anne Chatterton's Pancreatic Cancer Treatment Fund

It is surreal to be writing this right now and it is with a very heavy heart that we share this devastating news about my mom, Anne Chatterton. Anne has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and needs help and support more now than ever. As many of you know she lost her daughter (my sister) Shannon Donnelly, 10 years ago this January to cervical cancer, so being thrown on this similar journey again has been especially difficult to process and accept. Anne will turn 63 years young this month and we need her around for at least a few more decades, God willing!

After what has been a few long and stressful months of not feeling well and in limbo waiting anxiously for test results after test results including multiple biopsies etc.... we unfortunately have a definitive pancreatic cancer diagnosis to share as well as an aggressive treatment plan. While we would of course prefer to be closer to everyone in Idaho while enduring an unforseen illness like or emergency and had been discussing the possibility of moving back in the somewhat near future to be close to our family and friends again. However, we are also extremely thankful to be in such close proximity to access great care here and still have a support team of visitors along the way and won't be fighting this on our own. Her medical teams here in Corvallis and Portland at Oregon Health Science University will be starting treatment on the 8th of July and in the meantime managing any pain and making sure she is as comfortable as possible and keeping our spirits up! The doctors are very hopeful and positive and feel she has a real chance at beating this because we caught it fairly early and the tumor is still solid and localized with no metastasis. She will be given 4 different types of extremely strong chemo over the next three months followed by another scan to see if the mass has shrunk in size. We have been blessed to somehow get her in with one of the top surgeons in the country at OHSU that will be removing the mass followed by more rounds of chemo after a long recovery with the hopes of killing any possible remaining cells that may be lingering. If all goes well and according to the plan she will then be scanned one time per year for five years and if there is no sign of disease at the yearly marks she will be considered in remission. At the five year mark of monitoring if there is still no sign of disease she will be considered cured and will no longer need to be monitored every year.

Her journey ahead is daunting, but we’re clinging to hope—and the incredible team of doctors and loved ones who believe in her strength.

While this diagnosis is extremely serious and particularly deadly, we are thankful that we caught it early due to her stomach and back pain and sudden onset diabetes. Most people don't usually have any warning symptoms and catch it late stage after it has already spread elsewhere making it difficult and often impossible to treat. Her doctors are very optimistic and we all believe in her!

But this battle comes with a cost—one that no family is ever prepared for. Even with insurance, the financial burden is staggering. From hospital bills and ongoing care expenses to travel costs and everyday basic living needs. Anne is unable to work and resigned from working a job she really enjoyed going to in the emergency room at our hospital here yesterday being that she can't afford constant exposure to sickness and will have a compromised immune system after chemotherapy treatments.

—it’s all adding up fast.

I am humbly asking for your help, love and support while we battle this together so that she has one less worry and can focus on healing.

If there are any unused donations they will be passed on to go to another good cause or charity. If you’re not in a position to give, please consider sharing this page and keeping Anne and her loved ones in your thoughts and prayers continually.

My mom lights up the room with her warmth and her smile and she is absolutely the most genuine, selfless, positive and kind hearted person I have ever known and she is my world, a true blessing and loved by so many and I am forever thankful. She constantly inspires me to be a better person with all that she does and seeing how much kindness and comfort she brings to just about everyone she crosses paths with. Her existence creates a huge and lasting ripple effect for the good making the world a better place while here which is something I think we should all strive to do.

Anne is a fighter. She’s strong and facing this with courage, grace, and so much love in her heart.

From the bottom of our hearts—thank you.

With love always,

Anne and Nicole (and pets ☺️)