Help Karen Through Stage 4 Ovarian Cancer

Co-organized

Amanda Elder and 2 others are organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Amanda Elder.

Donation protected

8/15/23 Update:

Dear friends and family,

It is with a heavy heart that I write to you today to provide an update on our mother's health, which has taken a challenging turn. As many of you know, in the summer of 2021, she was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer, and your support

meant the world to us. Sadly, her cancer has returned this spring, and she's currently undergoing treatment while exploring trial options for early next year. Autumn and India have relocated to Indiana to assist, but we find ourselves facing financial difficulties once more.

While we wish we didn't have to ask for assistance again, we’ve found it challenging to meet the financial cost of keeping Mom as healthy as possible. The reality is that mom has some immediate home maintenance repairs that need to be taken care of as soon as possible. We urgently need to address black mold in her bedroom and bathroom subflooring due to a persistent leak. This poses a serious health risk, especially for an immune-compromised individual. To tackle this issue, we've reactivated our GoFundMe campaign, with every donation directly contributing to mold remediation. Any surplus funds will aid in her treatment and support for our family.

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, emphasizing the importance of early detection and support for those affected. This month holds particular significance for our family and countless others affected by this devastating disease. It serves as a reminder of the urgency of raising awareness, promoting early detection, and supporting those battling ovarian cancer. To those who've supported us before, your generosity is immeasurable. To newcomers, we welcome you with open arms and deep appreciation. Beyond financial help, we ask for your prayers, positive thoughts, and words of encouragement, which have been invaluable during this battle.

Cancer is relentless, but so is our determination to stand by our mom. Her strength and resilience inspire us, and we're committed to aiding her in this fight. Your kindness and compassion during this challenging time mean the world to us.

With heartfelt thanks,

Amanda, Traci, India, Autumn (and Karen)

11/4/21 Update: Huge thank you to everyone who donated and helped us reach our initial goal of $6K to cover Mom's outstanding medical debt! We have increased the goal a bit because others have contacted us moved by Mom's story and asked if there is still a need. Any additional donations will go towards future medical expenses such as prescription and medical co-pays, equipment, RSO, CBD to help with pain, acupuncture to help with neuropathy, etc.

- Mom's Story -

It has been a very difficult year of unexpected illnesses for our mother. In May 2021, she had a major heart attack, which began the kick-off of an ongoing medical crisis. While recovering, it became apparent that she had much more going on with her health, though it wasn’t clear what. Her primary symptoms and initial CT scan seemed to point to a serious gastrointestinal issue but, after several specialists and various tests, we were no closer to a diagnosis. On August 5th after a second CT scan, mom finally got her diagnosis; stage four ovarian cancer. Her specific cancer diagnosis is Serous Ovarian and Omentum Metastatic Disease (stage 4a).

Ovarian cancer is a sneaky type of carcinoma that often goes undedicated until it's reached an advanced stage and has no known cause. Because of its aggressive nature, mom's oncology team felt that treatment needed to begin immediately. As of October, mom has completed three rounds of chemotherapy for her frontline treatment. She has a major abdominal debulking surgery scheduled for November 10th at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, which will include a total hysterectomy and the removal of all remaining tumors throughout her abdomen and abdominal organs. Her CT scan doesn't show any progression to the lung cavity. After she recovers from surgery, she will complete three additional rounds of chemotherapy. Hopefully, that will be the last of it however we know that ovarian cancer has a very high chance of reoccurring.

We are thrilled to share that after a tough start with chemo that landed her in the hospital for several days; she seems to be doing well with her chemo treatments and her oncologists are thrilled with her progress.

Mom lost her job shortly after her heart attack and hasn’t been able-bodied enough to generate any kind of income since. Her insurance has plan has a 6K deductible which has not been paid. All donations will go directly toward mom's insurance deductible and anything, in addition, will go towards general expenses while mom is in post opt recovery.

If you don't know Karen personally, those that do would likely tell you she has always been a very giving person and when she’s not supporting her family, she is using her time to support her larger community. We hope this fundraiser will give our mother the step up she needs to move through this difficult time without falling too far behind. We hope that when she recovers from her difficult illness, she can return to her regular life without the burden of medical debt.