Hope Fund for Mona - Doug's Brain Cancer Struggle

Hi, my name is Josh and I'm fundraising for my mother Mona and her husband Doug.

I saw my mom and stepdad last on April 24th, it was my son's 3rd birthday and they were so excited to be there to celebrate. Doug, who had just celebrated his birthday, turning 70 a month earlier, had been experiencing some minor memory loss and was having difficulty remembering people's names. My mother thought he may have had a mini-stroke and called his family doctor, who ordered an MRI. She paid privately $900, to get it done the next day, 3 days after my son's birthday. When they got the results of the scan, to everyone's surprise, Doug, who had no other significant medical issues, had a large, high-grade tumour in his brain. Given the size of the tumour and the fact that it was branched out into both sides of his brain, his doctor who gave the results of the scan, was surprised he wasn't showing any other signs or symptoms of illness.

An appointment was immediately scheduled with a neurosurgeon, and we all waited anxiously for answers, not knowing what would happen in the meantime. At the last minute and with little notice, the appointment was cancelled and rescheduled for 2 weeks later, because the doctor was no longer available, leaving Doug, my mom and the rest of the family in an extremely anxious state.

Given the situation and the fact that Doug had not shown other symptoms, and I think understanding the potential gravity of the situation, my mom and Doug took a 2-hour drive to their cottage to see close friends and explain what was going on. After a couple of relaxing days at the cottage, they got in their car and drove to Collingwood, Ontario (an 8-hour drive from Montreal) to visit their other close families and grandchildren.

On the last night of their stay with my sister and her kids, Doug had a massive seizure. An ambulance was called and he was rushed to the local hospital. His condition was critical and at the hospital, after an MRI was done, they discovered that the tumour had ruptured and was bleeding, causing massive pressure in his brain. The 2-hour ambulance drive to Toronto would be too dangerous and so my mother had to pay the $15,000 (not covered by Medicare) to have him airlifted by a special crisis unit Ornge Air Ambulance to a Trauma and Neurosurgery ICU at a hospital in Toronto. Both she and my sister drove down there and she has now been having to live in a hotel for the past 2+ weeks paying ridiculous Toronto rates for basic hotel accommodation!

Doug was brought in for surgery 2 days after arriving in Toronto and while the surgery was "as smooth as it could have been" according to the Neurosurgeon, his brain suffered considerable injury from the seizures and pressure from the bleeding, leaving him paralyzed on his right side. They were only able to remove about 70% of the tumour and he has been on a ventilator and only minimally responsive since the procedure, going on for over one week now.

It's still uncertain as to whether Doug will regain enough strength to recover from the surgery, but the long-term outlook is pretty scary and my mother is devastated. Being a 2-time cancer survivor herself, having beaten the odds in her struggle with bladder cancer and then against Mantle Cell Lymphoma, she is currently 8 years in remission. She just turned 69 on May 2nd and everything that has happened in the past couple of weeks has already cost more than $20,000. While we don't know for how long, or if Doug will recover from the surgery and be strong enough to then go through weeks of radiation and chemo, to return home for the time he has left, the costs of this could potentially run more than double of what she's already paid for medical expenses and accommodations.

The financial burden has already become overwhelming and the cost of these extended stays in hotels has placed an immense strain on her, physically and emotionally. It has become increasingly difficult for her to focus on providing the care and mental support that Doug needs during this challenging time.

We are reaching out to you, our friends, family, and kind-hearted individuals, to request your support. Your contribution will make a significant difference in easing the financial burden that my mom is facing. The funds raised will go directly towards covering her expenses, and travel costs, and providing much-needed emotional relief.

My mom and Doug have shared over 22 years of cherished memories. They have faced life's challenges hand in hand, and now they need our support more than ever. By donating to this campaign, you will not only help alleviate their financial stress but also offer them comfort and peace of mind during this difficult journey. Every act of kindness, no matter how big or small, will be greatly appreciated. Your generosity and compassion will provide strength and solace to my mother as she faces this difficult battle.

Please consider making a donation today and sharing this campaign with others who may also wish to contribute. Your support means the world to us. Thank you for joining us in this fight and for being a beacon of hope for our family during this trying time.during this trying time.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Josh Hawkins

Please Note:

If you've read this far and want to help support my Mother and Doug, we ask that you not reach out to her directly as she's constantly on call from the hospital when she's not sitting next to Doug and needs to get her rest whenever possible. We will provide important updates on Doug's situation through this GoFundMe. Thank you for your understanding and support <3