Help Fund Ate Lolita's Cancer Treatment Cost

Hi! We are starting this GoFundMe to get help and fund my Aunt's cancer treatment plan.

At 57, my kind and loving Aunt, Lolita Lacuenta, (I call her Ate Lolita- pronounced 'ah-teh' Lolita. ) is sadly in another cancer battle, stage 4 metastatic breast cancer (lung metastasis). At age 51, was when she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. My Aunt is from Lipa City, Philippines. She used to be an embroiderer, a really good embroiderer, until her disease stopped her from being one. She has an 18-year old son who is now starting college.

Age 57 is not necessarily a young age, but definitely not an old age either. It is an age when we are supposed to be happily enjoying the fruits from the first half of our life, and at the same time excitedly looking ahead for the next half that should be a better life. With cancer, any age is a young age. Sad fact is that cancer picks no age. It picks no gender. It picks no family. It is a thief robbing one’s time and happiness in life, one’s family. We happened to have a family member who was struck by this thief of a disease, that is cancer.

Year 2017 was when My Ate Lolita got the diagnosis for stage 3 breast cancer, and the same year she went through chemotherapy until the end of that year. Her surgery was done December of 2017. She went through modified radical mastectomy for her right breast. She also had to go through a couple of radiation therapies the first quarter of 2018. Thankfully, she got through them all still with a smile even though we dare not imagine how tough and painful they were. She is a strong and kind-hearted lady. Now she needs another round of support to keep her strength in this tough journey.

Our family is earnestly praying that she can get through this again with the knowledge that we are always by her side. We would like her to gather and feel the strength from each one of us and remember that she need not be frightened and weakened in her heart. And so, we are here, humbly opening up to you all, hoping that we can reach more willing hands to hold hers with us.

Year 2022 was when another diagnosis of her cancer came. During the second and third quarters of 2022, she went through hormonal therapy on Falsodex. Last quarter of 2022, she then started her next round of chemotherapy on Capecitabine, and she went through it for a year. The side effects were too much for her she asked for a short break on it. Years 2022 and 2023 were all spent on having to go through continuous medications. This cancer robbed her of the time she could have spent of living a pain-free and happier life.

Now here we are at year 2024, she got the stage 4 metastatic breast cancer diagnosis, with the cancer cells found in her left lung (lung metastasis). New pulmonary nodules and masses, as well as massive pleural effusion were seen on her left lung. So far, she has gone through a couple of thoracentesis procedures to help ease her breathing. Thoracentesis is a procedure done to drain extra fluid from around the lungs.

With all the needed medications and procedures, the family’s funding pool is closing in to its thinnest. So we are humbly asking for any help you can extend. We were presented with two drug options for her next set of chemotherapy. Each drug option will cost around 309,800 pesos ( a little over $5,800) for a 3-month period of treatment. After three months will be another set of scans and tests, then another chemotherapy session set until necessary.

With the cost of drugs and tests we need to cover, we are humbly asking for any help one may extend. So here we are raising funds for my Ate Lolita. Our family will stay eternally grateful to all who have extended and will be extending help, monetary or prayers.

May the good Lord bless you all.