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HELP MELANIE GET LIFE SAVING SURGERY

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Melanie requires LIFE SAVING SURGERY. Ideally Melanie would have prefered to have this surgery locally but due to delays in getting a diagnosis plus lack of resources in the BC Health Care system, this option is no longer viable. Thus treatment in the United States is her only choice.
Melanie is one in over 7 million people that are diagnosed with an aggressive abdominal cancer called Primary Peritoneal Carcinomatosis and require specialized surgery . Her life expectancy is 11-17 months without fast medical intervention. Unfortunately British Columbia does not have the medical resources to provide the surgical intervention required. The procedure and the follow up treatment is done in the United States at the Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland. A team headed by Dr A Sardi, a world leader and educator in Peritoneal Carcinomatosis cytoreductive surgery in conjunction with HIPEC (hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy) offer treatment for tumours that were considered untreatable in the past. The 8-12 hour operation has been extending the lives of patients for years, several in excess of 20 years.
Melanie, a veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces is originally from Vancouver Island. She left to serve her country as an Air Traffic Controller. After her early retirement her and husband Shane moved back to Vancouver Island and settled in Cobble Hill 28 years ago.
Melanie is an amateur wildlife photographer specializing in Birds and Bears.
Although they are jumping through all the hurdles in their path, Mel and Shane continue to be positive and up beat. They are taking each step together and doing their best to look after their mental health.




Melanie appreciates all the support and well wishes

Some of Mel's photos have been featured in British and European newspapers. She also had her favourite bear photo in a Canadian Geographic calendar and theSPCA also recognized her in their Wildlife Photo competition.
Both Shane and Melanie are longtime supporters of the SPCA.
Strong advocates for wildlife, Melanie has written to provincial departments to indicate wildlife and highway trouble spots, local animal endangerments or mistreatment. you can view some of Mel's photos on her website https://www.melanieleesonphotography.com/Canadian-and-American-Wildlife and on Instagram birds2bears
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    Organizer

    Denise Holloway
    Organizer
    Chemainus, BC

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