Caring for Shari

On March 1, 2018, our dear friend Shari was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. She was admitted to the emergency room for what was identified as a bleeding ulcer and kept to undergo further testing. Upon further testing, a tumor was detected. We are grateful that the tumor is localized however given the circumstances, her doctor has wrote her out of work, leaving her to manage her finances and healthcare costs with significantly limited income. 

For those of you that know Shari personally, you are well aware of what a giving, loving, and compassionate, strong female she is. Unfortunately, this process of doctor visits, specialty treatment, and surgery is not foreign to her, as she lost her youngest daughter on December 24, 2010, Julianne, at age 3, to brain cancer: Pontine brainstem glioma. Shari recently recognized what would’ve been her daughter’s 12th birthday. It was just a few weeks later that she received the news of her diagnosis.

Shari’s surgery has been scheduled for March 30, 2018 to remove the tumor. It will then be sent out to pathology to determine if she will need chemotherapy. We are praying that since the tumor was detected early, she will not need to endure chemotherapy. Her surgeon is adamant that she slow her life down, including work, in order to recover. For those that know Shari well, we know this is not her nature! As a single mother of three children, full-time case manager, and graduate student, the concept of “taking a break” is not an intuitive process for our girl! In an effort to help her recover, relax, and lessen the stress of financial burdens with being pulled out of work, we have organized this GoFundMe. There is no irony lost in the sense that Shari is a full-time case manager and has been working endlessly and tirelessly in the Behavioral Health field, to help others recover from the disease of addiction and manage their lives. Now it’s our turn to help her. Shari has overcome numerous obstacles in her lifetime and still remains such a caring, selfless, person. Shari is one of the hardest working woman, which makes it difficult for her to accept being pulled out of work. However, we know our warrior woman will fight through this with grace, faith, and determination! As her friends, we are coming together to help alleviate some of her stress so she may place all of her focus and efforts on recovery.

Any donation is greatly appreciated and please share. Shari has touched many lives through her work in the Behavioral Health field and now it is our turn to help her. Thank you in advanced from all of her family and friends.

YOU GOT THIS WARRIOR WOMAN! WE LOVE YOU!