Help Evita Overcome Ovarian Cancer

My mom was recently diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer. We have just recently started telling friends and family about her condition and the response has been an outpouring of love and offers of assistance. Many people have been asking how they can help. So I decided to set up this Gofundme campaign as a way for folks to help with alleviating the financial stress of mounting medical bills.

Here is how we got to where we are today. In December of 2023 my mom started to have unusual breast pain. Her doctor then ordered a genetic test along with mammogram which determined that she had a BRCA2 gene mutation. This led to a bunch of additional tests in January 2024 to determine if she had any diseases related to this mutation. They did not see clear signs of cancer via the mammogram or additional tests. They did see cysts on her ovaries and fibroids on the uterus via ultrasound, but they could not conclude that any of it was cancerous. This type of mutation statistically put her at very high risk of cancer and she began making arrangements for a recommended bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (remove fallopian tubes and ovaries) and mastectomy (remove breasts).

In April 2024 mom was experiencing severe pelvic pain and she, on her own, decided to get a CT scan performed. The results of the CT scan showed that her uterus was attached to her ovaries. These new findings lead to meeting with a local oncologist to schedule immediate surgery on June 3rd to perform the bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. This was the soonest she could have the procedure.

During surgery the oncologist found evidence of endometriosis and complications with the ovary removal so the decision was made to perform a full hysterectomy. By June 7th pathology results were back showing she had stage 3 high grade aggressive serous ovarian cancer that had spread to nearby areas outside of her ovaries.

At this point chemotherapy is necessary to kill the remaining cancer cells. She will be having 6 rounds of chemotherapy. After chemotherapy it will then be necessary to take special maintenance drugs to prevent any remaining cancer cells from spreading. It’s not uncommon for people with this type of cancer to need chemotherapy again if the cancer comes back. General statistics show that this type of cancer has an 85% chance of recurrence after initial chemotherapy. So we are hoping the post chemo maintenance medication, which is a fairly new technology, will improve that statistic or prevent relapse.

She is scheduled to have a chemotherapy port surgically implanted on June 18th. The first round of chemotherapy happens on July 5th and then again every three weeks if all goes well. This puts the end of initial chemotherapy treatments around the end of 2024. After the chemo is complete and she is in good health she will then have the mastectomy to prevent possible breast cancer..

Also, my mom made sure I tell you that if you have any family history of cancer that you immediately go see a doctor to arrange for genetic testing. These tests will help you understand if you are susceptible to disease and which types. Your testing results could lead to other tests to identify if you have any diseases you may be susceptible to. We also urge you to let your family know about these sorts of tests as well. If you do have genetic mutations that put you at risk you need to tell your family. This knowledge may help you save your life or someone close to you.

I want to thank you all for your well wishes and outpouring of love. She feels the love, is in good spirits as a result, and is so thankful to have such wonderful friends and family. If you feel inclined to help and support her through this please consider contributing to this Gofundme campaign. Right now this is the most direct hands-on way for you to help her. Again, thank you all so much for the warmth and love our family has been receiving. We are so grateful to have you in our lives. My mom looks forward to seeing you all once again after the chemotherapy is over.

Love,

Vanya Paul