Help Agnes Fight Stage 4 Breast Cancer

If you know Agnes, you know that she is the absolute last person to let any type of pain or illness slow her down.  (or anything else, for that matter)  She always has something going, whether it be teaching, practicing piano,  performing, or doing things with or for her family, especially her two boys.  

All that changed this summer, when Agnes started having tremendous pain in her lower back.   Despite seeking help from chiropractors and physical therapists, the pain continued to worsen until she was forced to visit the ER.   After being admitted to Sentara Obici here in Suffolk, VA a series of tests revealed that she has Stage 4 metastic breast cancer.  The cancer is now in her breast, liver and bone, including cervical spine and lumbar, where a fracture has occured in L3 (the source of her back pain)  It has been months since she has been able to play the piano pain free,   In fact, she was a volunteer pianist for worship service at a local Nursing facility until the pain became so severe, they had to ask her to go home and take care of herself first.  She has not played since that Sunday in August.  Two days later, she was admitted to the hospital.

There is good news.  Doctors are still optimistic that Agnes be treated.  She has already started radiation treatment to shrink the growth on her spine with hopes that the bone will naturally heal.   After that is Targeted Gene Therapy to target her specific type of breast cancer (HER2-positive)

However, ultimately Cancer Immunotherapy is believed to be her best shot to allow her to see her kids grow up.  It is highly individualized, specific and non-toxic.  It uses cancer vaccine and cell therapies that are cultured from her own immune cells to fight the cancer.  This type of treatment is designed to destroy cancer cells and tumors and alter the internal environment of the body that has been promoting the growth of the cancer. 

The Immunotherapy treatment is new, cutting edge, but it is not easily accessible and not covered by insurance.   Oh yeah...  it is also expensive.  Very expensive.

That is why we are asking for help from friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances around the world to pull together to help support us in sending Agnes to one of the top clinics in  Tiajuana that has a great success rate in achieving full remission, even in cases that seem hopeless. 

So if you can give, please strongly consider doing so. There is absolutely no such thing as a small donation and every single penny is a blessing.  Also, whether you can or can't give, please continue to keep Agnes in your prayers and feel free to drop her a message of encouragement here or on Facebook. 

Please help Agnes in her fight against this dreadful illness.   Share the link and spread the word.   Our family would be eternally grateful.  Gavin, Gilon, & I aren't ready to give her up just yet!

For those of you that know Agnes through her music, even though cancer has temporarily robbed her of her ability to share her musical gift at the present time, you can still go here for a listen:  http://www.agnes-wan.net/media.html

Thanks for reading!