Update:

Jennifer passed away on Tuesday 8/31/21.   She continued fighting until the very end and never once considered giving up.   And although she passed away due to her diagnosis, cancer did not win.   She never let it take her will to live, laugh or love.   

As one can imagine, there are still outstanding medical bills exceeding her goal amount.   For those who wish to donate, it will go towards helping her husband and family cover outstanding expenses from treatment, as well as potentially a memorial fund for her daughters that I will be establishing and contributing to.    

Thank you to everyone who donated to Jennifer previously as well as for all of the continued support during these tough times.    Jennifer is a good soul and had so much love in her heart.   I miss and love her more than words can describe.   

Regards,
Mike McDonald 

*update*

I need help! I’m trying to get rid of and raise as much as I can to travel back and forth to Houston as needed so do as much as treatment as I can. Without having so much burden on the family. Clearly further treatment is needed. Plan on first trip back next week.

Anything is appreciated!!

My name is Jennifer. I am a wife of an amazingly supportive husband, mother of four amazingly loving kiddos and a nurse who loves all of the opportunities I have come into. I have worked ER, Labor and Delivery and am currently a school nurse.

My  journey started three years ago. I was diagnosed with cervical cancer in October of 2016. The doctors felt that it was isolated, so we went through with a radical hysterectomy. They also took some pelvic and abdominal lymph nodes during the surgery to test. After the surgery, the results of the lymph nodes were that three out of twelve came back positive for cancerous cells. So, I was on to pelvic radiation therapy five days a weeks and low dose chemotherapy once a week. This was not an easy time period, but I managed to continue working part time during that seven week period.

Things were good for the rest of the year, but in September of 2017, I was diagnosed with recurrent cancer and I had the option of having a pretty traumatic surgery (total pelvic exenteration) in hopes that they could get all of the cancer. I was 33 at the time and the thought of being left with lifelong health issues was not ideal, but it beat the other option, so I went for it. I started going to Houston, TX for MD Anderson Cancer Hospital and that is where I had my surgery. My husband and I were in Houston for almost four weeks for my recovery. Labs came back good from the surgery, so I was ready to get on with healing and life.

Recovery was not easy, but I got through it and even back to work, but in October of 2018...  the doctors found areas of concern on my CT scan. I had a biopsy taken of one of the areas and that came back negative for cancer, but I still had two pelvic lymph nodes that were enlarged. I chose to wait and see because it wasn't a definite that these areas were in fact cancer, but in December I started having pain and when I felt an enlarged lymph node in my neck, I knew it was time to start Chemo. I started chemo in January... right before my 35th birthday. I went every three weeks for five treatments. I lost my hair, and had absolutely no energy by the end, but I made it. I am now continuing a maintenance dose chemo, so I will continue going every three weeks for a while, but I will only be receiving one medication and my hair will grow back and it shouldn't wipe my blood count out.

My plan is to continue working as I can. I enjoy it and I get to help people that medically need help which that is much closer to my heart now than it was before. However, after three years of pretty intense medical treatment, surgeries, traveling out of town, continued treatment and procedures, and medical supplies and equipment  (because of my second surgery, I will always need) the bills have added up. I was able to work part time during the first year, but last year and this year I have been on leave for most of the time. My husband has worked really hard to cover a lot of the expense for everything. 

I will always have medical expenses, but to have the ability to pay get rid of some of the past larger expenses would be fantastic, helpful and a huge burden lifted. Any amount would be appreciated beyond words.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story

Updated:
immunotherapy was started March of 2020. New areas of concern were found in new lymph nodes, liver and lungs. Chemo restarted in
June 2020. I have stopped working for now and I am going to continue fighting and looking for treatment!!

***Update:

05/3/2021: I have began again on chemo... The lymph nodes in my pelvis with known cancer started to grow and was causing pretty significant pain. So far, it has helped with the cancer pain, but is causing several side effects. I’m 1 treatment down and just keep reminding myself what it is for!!

I am still not working, my husband has decreased hours significantly and the bills are stacking up. I hate asking for help, but I’m to a point where I really don’t know what else to do. I have past bills and future bills and I would also absolutely love it if I could pay for some natural and alternative treatments as well!

I love living and I love adventure and I love helping people. I know that I will get through this, I just need a little help. Thank you so much!