In May, Joëlle was diagnosed with sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma, an exceptionally rare and aggressive sarcoma that started in her hand and has already spread to her lymph nodes. This isn’t a cancer most oncologists ever see in their careers. Fewer than a few hundred cases have been documented worldwide. There is no standard treatment manual for this which means Joëlle’s odds depend on getting in front of the small number of specialists who have experience treating it.

Joëlle requires surgery on her hand and this means losing roughly half of her hand and with it, most of the function she has relied on her whole life. She will have to relearn how to do the simplest daily tasks, all while still fighting the cancer that made this surgery necessary in the first place. The lymph node involvement means this cancer is already on the move, and every week matters.

Joëlle needs care at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston TX, where they treat rare sarcomas and have access to clinical trials that aren’t available otherwise. We’re asking for help to cover:

-Specialist consultations and second opinions,

-Travel, lodging and treatment far from home, including limb-sparing surgery abroad.

The initial cost estimate for treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center is $200,000 USD, not including travel and lodging, and costs can increase if complications or special circumstances occur once treatment has started. In the event that funds received exceed costs, funds will be donated to CancerCare Manitoba.

Those who know Joëlle personally know her to be kind, caring and hilarious, as well as hard-working and motivated. She has always taken care of others through her career as an ER nurse, educator and most recently nurse practitioner and business owner. She brings patience, honesty, and an unmatched work ethic to everything she does; her life, her friendships and her career. Joëlle has always been the one who shows up for everyone else. Now it’s our turn to show up for her.

Every dollar goes directly toward Joëlle’s treatment and the logistics of getting her to the care she needs. No amount is too small. If you can’t give, sharing her story so it reaches someone who can is just as valuable.

Thank you for reading this, for praying for her, and for whatever you’re able to give.