Help My Mom Fight Pancreatic Cancer

Earlier this year, my mom found herself in the emergency room in her hometown of Las Vegas, NM (not Nevada!). What was originally thought to be a gallbladder issue turned into a flight-for-life to Lubbock, TX. Once in Texas, things progressed quickly.

First, they found a tumor near her gallbladder. Then came the news—it was malignant. Finally, the diagnosis: full-blown pancreatic cancer. Her initial hospital stay lasted two weeks—two long weeks of tests, questions, and a clear liquid diet. She was discharged with a stage two pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

Thankfully, it’s localized and hasn’t spread, which is rare for this type of cancer. Most pancreatic cancer cases are caught too late, and because of that, treatment options are limited and less studied. That presents a whole new set of challenges and hurdles to navigate.

There were two main treatment options: surgery and chemotherapy. Unfortunately, there isn’t enough research to determine which should come first. We decided on surgery. “Let’s get this thing out!” was our mindset. Mom went into surgery on March 13th. What was supposed to be an 8-hour procedure ended after just 4 hours—we were worried. The doctor explained that the tumor was much larger than expected, and removing it would have been far too extensive. Instead, he removed her gallbladder and lymph nodes for testing. There was talk of upstaging the cancer.

While the surgery wasn’t what we’d hoped for, mom was okay. The next step: six months of intense chemotherapy—5 hours a day, twice a week—before a second attempt at tumor removal.

Thankfully, the test results came back negative—her cancer has not been upstaged or spread. As devastating as pancreatic cancer is, there’s still a chance for her to come through this and reach remission. She had her chemotherapy port placed on April 7th, and treatment is set to begin the following week.

Right now, mom is living with her sister in Texas. My aunt has been a godsend—by her side from day one. Since mom can’t work, she currently has no income, but she still has to cover her rent, car loan, and daily expenses.

We know times are hard for everyone, but if you’re able to help in any way, it would mean the world to our family. Your support would give my mom a bit of peace of mind during this incredibly difficult time.

Any donations will go directly to outstanding bills.