Family and friends, I need your help! I have never done this before but I have a good friend of mine who is very much in need. Many of you know Shannon Verity. I have personally known Shannon for over 12 years. She has been through a lot since I have known her.  My husband tells me that Shannon is a “jack of all trades”. Over the years, she did everything it took to support herself and her children. Shannon has been a hairstylist, a computer genius and has real estate experience. She is also a very talented photographer. She finished her degree in Legal Administrative Assisting in 2010 and began working with a law firm in Atlanta. On June 21st, 2014 Shannon's world  changed forever when she received the devastating news that her eldest son died by suicide. In 2018, the job she loved so much came to an end when her boss died of cancer.  Shannon lost her job and made a move to North Carolina to be closer to family.. On May 11, 2020, Shannon got diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (breast cancer). She and her doctor decided that a double mastectomy was her best option. Shannon had a double mastectomy on June 2, 2020. Her surgery went well and she is at home recovering. Over the next six months or so, there will be many more doctor appointments, treatments , and eventually, another surgery for reconstruction. She is getting paid for 5 weeks of absence from work but will inevitably be out longer considering she is out for 4 weeks for this first surgery alone. I spoke to Shannon today, and she just had received the news that her cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. She will need to have radiation and possibly chemo. Shannon has an amazing resilience and has overcome a lot of storms in her life, but the financial struggle with the medical bills that are piling up is really hard to deal with, not to mention, the physical and emotional burden that this cancer has brought on to her.  Shannon is very grateful that she has self-pay insurance and that her boss is giving her 5 weeks paid leave but any additional weeks will be unpaid. Her insurance covers 70% off her total bills but she is responsible for the 30%. As of today, her part is $54, 727, this is after her insurance coverage. This is just for the first surgery! 

I initiated this GoFund me page for her because I know many of you want to help and have asked what you could do.  Shannon is uncomfortable to ask for financial help and will never ask anyone for money, but this is a HUGE way you can help! I know that we have been hit hard with so many things lately but if YOU can donate $5, $10, $100 or whatever you can, It WILL make a difference! All the money raised will go to Shannon so she can pay her medical bills and/or ease any financial burden from loss of income. I hope you’ll join with me to support Shannon through her surgeries and healing. She is a strong, loving, trustworthy, loyal friend to so many of us. Let’s pitch in to help her out in her time of need. If you cannot donate, please keep her in your thoughts and prayers and please share this page so we can reach as many as possible who are able to help Shannon. 

Thank you!

Karen Chamblee