Help Joannie Bowsher navigate her stage 4 cancer journey.

Our dear friend Joannie Higdon-Bowsher has been fighting stage 4 endometrial cancer for the last several years. Her pain reached intolerable levels and it was discovered her cancer had metastasized to her Illium and pelvic bone. She received multiple rounds of Carboplatin/Taxol and maximum lifetime radiation. The combination of chemotherapies caused chemotherapy induced neuropathy which besides causing constant pain has affected her sleep. It also adds to her fear of falling. Delays due to COVID exacerbated her condition and severely complicated treatment. She had to wait 6 months to receive a custom pelvic bone prosthetic made in Germany as the USA halted production due to the pandemic. She had 7 pelvic fractures which caused intolerable pain by the time the prostesis arrived and surgery could be performed. The orthopedic oncologist who performed the surgery informed Joannie and family that there simply was not enough healthy tissue to attach the prostesis to and she would have constant unrelenting pain and that her mobility would forever be compromised. Joannie is on a rollator and can only walk short distances. Last month was Joanne's final visit with orthopedic oncology and her physiatrist. She and Steve were informed that there was nothing surgically or otherwise that could be done. Joannie was even wanting to explore amputation to ease the pain but she was told that that was not an option. She also was informed that a heavy screw was so close to her spine that moving certain ways could be excruciating. Also her body had twisted 17 degrees. They suggested she purchase a scooter or electric wheelchair. Both Joannie and Steve's health (heart attack) forced them into early retirement. To date, they have tried to make Joannie comfortable in their home of 30 years that she does not want to leave. They have tried all avenues to get financial help. The home needs modifications, especially the primary bathroom that would make showering accessable to her. Joannie's medical bills have been staggering and not fully covered by insurance. A serious fall in 2023 has made it difficult to move safely around her home and a lack of mobility and constant pain prevents her from freely leaving home or enjoying the outdoors. She has missed her Granddaughters activities and craves her old life of being Nana. She is now in stage 4 supportive/palliative care and could use our support. I am starting a Go Fund Me to help Joannie so she can leave the house and enjoy her family and to make needed house modifications so she can safely navigate her home and help manage her pain.

Joannie is Beech Grove High School graduate Class of 1976. She was a stylist at Your Father's Mustache in the 70"s and 80's pausing to raise her sons. She worked at Community Hospital South for 15 years. At the time of her diagnosis she had been with Franciscan Physician Network for 10 years. Being able to let special people know how much they mean to us while we still can is a blessing. If you would like to support Joannie and Steve during these trying times, any donation would help her know how much she and Steve mean to us.