Battle with Metastatic Bone Cancer
Donation protected
My sister-in-law, a victim of Metastatic Bone Cancer, a devastating disease, is a beloved wife, mother, sister, aunt and grandmother who in 2016 won her battle with breast cancer and was declared cancer free. After losing her mother and two sisters to cancer she was elated, thinking she had won the battle of her life. Cautiously optimistic that she was cured she began to enjoy life with her newly born grandchild.
She was in the fall of 2018 shocked and dismayed to learn that she had metastatic bone cancer. Unbeknownst to the physicians her breast cancer has metastasized to her bones and had reached stage IV.
Metastatic Bone Cancer occurs when cancer spreads from a primary organ to the bones. Bone is the most frequent site of metastasis after the lung and liver. This cancer is a major cause of morbidity characterized by severe pain, impaired mobility pathologic fractures, and spinal cord compression.
This is not a mild disease and the toll it takes impairs one’s ability to mentally and physically fight the battle required to survive.
Several medications are available to help with the pain, however the treatments can range from $900 to $3000 per month and assistance is only available for lower income households. A recent inquiry into a pharmaceutical company willing to help responded with “we are out of funding and unable to help”.
Needless to say Debbie and my brother Scott’s world came crashing down. Making only a few thousand dollars above the maximum income level allowed for assistance she was unsure how they would make this second journey through a cancer battle.
Debbie and Scott are now only concerned with keeping the spreading of the cancer at bay, keeping her bones strong and allowing her to be pain free. Unfortunately the assistance programs available are limited in either available funds and or scope of assistance. Leaving my sister-in-law and brother in a fight of their lives.
I am reaching out to all of you to ask for help. My goal is to raise enough funds to assist Debbie and Scott with medication that will slow or stop the progression of the cancer as well as allow Debbie to maintain her quality of life as she fights this battle.
She was in the fall of 2018 shocked and dismayed to learn that she had metastatic bone cancer. Unbeknownst to the physicians her breast cancer has metastasized to her bones and had reached stage IV.
Metastatic Bone Cancer occurs when cancer spreads from a primary organ to the bones. Bone is the most frequent site of metastasis after the lung and liver. This cancer is a major cause of morbidity characterized by severe pain, impaired mobility pathologic fractures, and spinal cord compression.
This is not a mild disease and the toll it takes impairs one’s ability to mentally and physically fight the battle required to survive.
Several medications are available to help with the pain, however the treatments can range from $900 to $3000 per month and assistance is only available for lower income households. A recent inquiry into a pharmaceutical company willing to help responded with “we are out of funding and unable to help”.
Needless to say Debbie and my brother Scott’s world came crashing down. Making only a few thousand dollars above the maximum income level allowed for assistance she was unsure how they would make this second journey through a cancer battle.
Debbie and Scott are now only concerned with keeping the spreading of the cancer at bay, keeping her bones strong and allowing her to be pain free. Unfortunately the assistance programs available are limited in either available funds and or scope of assistance. Leaving my sister-in-law and brother in a fight of their lives.
I am reaching out to all of you to ask for help. My goal is to raise enough funds to assist Debbie and Scott with medication that will slow or stop the progression of the cancer as well as allow Debbie to maintain her quality of life as she fights this battle.
Organizer and beneficiary
Sara Dirscherl
Organizer
Livermore, CA
Debbie Schemenauer
Beneficiary