For Julia Downing

My mother in law, Julia Downing, started having back pain last November and went to multiple doctors appointments to try to find the root of the problem.  When her back pain became unbearable, she had a few emergency room visits but still waited for answers. Finally the doctors at South Shore Hospital, found out she had a tumor that was pressing on her spine and fractured a bone.  After transferring to Dana Farber Cancer Institute and going through more testing, she was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung Cancer. When they found the cancer there were tumors in multiple places. The doctors said if they had not found the tumor on her spine when they did, she would have become paralyzed.  Her treatment started with a kyphoplasty procedure to repair the fractured bone on her spine and some intense targeted radiation for that tumor. Since her diagnosis she has had radiation on her back, lungs, brain, hip and pelvis. A few months later, another tumor caused a fractured bone near her pelvis, so she had a sacroplasty procedure and targeted radiation there.  She has also gone through multiple rounds of immunotherapy and chemotherapy. This journey has been quite a roller coaster for Julia and our family as tumors shrink, then grow and continue on this pattern. She recently started a stronger dose of chemotherapy and we are very hopeful she will have positive results.


Julia has been my family for 16 years.  Everyone that knows her knows she is a very kind, generous and loving person.  She is always thinking of ways to help others. She loved her job as a home health aid, working with elderly patients.  Since her diagnosis, she has had visiting nurses and in home physical therapy, because her mobility has been greatly impacted and she now uses a walker or wheelchair.  Due to her mobility and intense treatment plan, she was forced to take an early retirement and apply for Social Security. This has been very hard for Julia because she loves work and has always been a very active person.  My father in law, Mark, has been the primary caregiver for her and his 90 year old mother who lives upstairs. It has also become a financial burden as medical bills are piling up and Social Security does not go very far.  


Through everything Julia has gone through, she has tried to remain positive. She is a true fighter and is determined to get better for herself and her family.  Any donations to help remove the financial burden and stress from the family would be greatly appreciated. 

All donations will be distributed by my wife Shioban, as she has been in charge of Julia’s finances. The money will go directly to Julia’s overwhelming medical bills, and general household bills which have been piling up since her diagnosis. Thank you in advance for your generosity and kindness.