Help Miranda find a Treatment
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After months of being misdiagnosed, my sister Miranda was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer in September 2016. She has always been an inspiration of health and fitness for so many of us. Now we need to come together to help her with access to treatments that are currently not funded but she needs to recover.
Her diagnosis finally came when she needed to be hospitalized with multiple debilitating conditions including excessive fluid build up in her lungs, abdomen and legs. After emergency draining of over 7 litres of fluid and an ostomy surgery, Miranda immediately began chemotherapy which was effective as she started feeling better. She continued treatment for 5 months during which she underwent a full hysterectomy to remove tumours. Miranda’s passion to overcome the cancer even impressed the doctors because she would continue to go to the gym between treatments, not only for herself but to show her son, Cristiano that she was not going to give up.
At her second last chemo treatment, we were devastated when Miranda developed an allergic reaction to the chemo and results showed it was no longer being effective. In March, her cancer had spread to her lymph nodes, reigniting all the health symptoms and nightmare she faced when first diagnosed.
The next plan of action was her Oncologist enrolled Miranda into a clinical trial for an immunotherapy medication. After receiving this treatment for the month, it was determined that the medication was either not working or not working fast enough. You can imagine the devastation she and her husband went through, as well as our family and friends. Her symptoms are worse and we know the cancer is still growing.
Miranda is now on a new chemotherapy treatment which we pray will be effective. However, the Oncologist has recommended that the chemo would be additionally effective if used along with another medication called Avastin. This medication has gone through several trials and is anticipated to be approved for funding within the next 3 to 6 months. Unfortunately, Miranda’s conditions can not wait.
With your help, we are asking all our friends and family to come together to help Miranda cover the costs of Avastin. We are able to add this medication to her treatment only if we personally pay for it at a cost of $2,800 a month. Our hope is that her current chemotherapy and the Avastin will be the anwer to Mirandas cancer and that the Province of BC will approve funding soon. In the meantime, she is getting regular procedures done to drain out the accumulating fluid in her lungs and abdomen.
All our positive thoughts and prayers for Miranda are focused on her recovery and current treatment working, but should the treatment not work, we are also looking to get a second opinion and looking for alternative treatments beyond what is currently available at BC Cancer Agency. Unfortunately, alternative treatments would be costly outsourcing to the United States and their cancer treatment facilities.
I would like to ask our family and friends for your support. Miranda is in need of financial assistance for medical cost for the following:
-Avastin medication that is not funded
-travel costs for alternate treatments
-vitamin IV treatments
On behalf of David (Miranda’s husband), Cristiano (Miranda’s 9 year old son) and all our family, I would like to express our extreme gratitude in advance to any contribution you are able to make. Miranda is humbled and appreciative of your support, thoughts and prayers. It has been a difficult and challenging time so from the bottom of our hearts we thank you for your love and support.
To help please contribute through this Go Fund Me page or by contacting me directly or contacting David.
Davina Valk
[email redacted]
David Silva
[email redacted]
Her diagnosis finally came when she needed to be hospitalized with multiple debilitating conditions including excessive fluid build up in her lungs, abdomen and legs. After emergency draining of over 7 litres of fluid and an ostomy surgery, Miranda immediately began chemotherapy which was effective as she started feeling better. She continued treatment for 5 months during which she underwent a full hysterectomy to remove tumours. Miranda’s passion to overcome the cancer even impressed the doctors because she would continue to go to the gym between treatments, not only for herself but to show her son, Cristiano that she was not going to give up.
At her second last chemo treatment, we were devastated when Miranda developed an allergic reaction to the chemo and results showed it was no longer being effective. In March, her cancer had spread to her lymph nodes, reigniting all the health symptoms and nightmare she faced when first diagnosed.
The next plan of action was her Oncologist enrolled Miranda into a clinical trial for an immunotherapy medication. After receiving this treatment for the month, it was determined that the medication was either not working or not working fast enough. You can imagine the devastation she and her husband went through, as well as our family and friends. Her symptoms are worse and we know the cancer is still growing.
Miranda is now on a new chemotherapy treatment which we pray will be effective. However, the Oncologist has recommended that the chemo would be additionally effective if used along with another medication called Avastin. This medication has gone through several trials and is anticipated to be approved for funding within the next 3 to 6 months. Unfortunately, Miranda’s conditions can not wait.
With your help, we are asking all our friends and family to come together to help Miranda cover the costs of Avastin. We are able to add this medication to her treatment only if we personally pay for it at a cost of $2,800 a month. Our hope is that her current chemotherapy and the Avastin will be the anwer to Mirandas cancer and that the Province of BC will approve funding soon. In the meantime, she is getting regular procedures done to drain out the accumulating fluid in her lungs and abdomen.
All our positive thoughts and prayers for Miranda are focused on her recovery and current treatment working, but should the treatment not work, we are also looking to get a second opinion and looking for alternative treatments beyond what is currently available at BC Cancer Agency. Unfortunately, alternative treatments would be costly outsourcing to the United States and their cancer treatment facilities.
I would like to ask our family and friends for your support. Miranda is in need of financial assistance for medical cost for the following:
-Avastin medication that is not funded
-travel costs for alternate treatments
-vitamin IV treatments
On behalf of David (Miranda’s husband), Cristiano (Miranda’s 9 year old son) and all our family, I would like to express our extreme gratitude in advance to any contribution you are able to make. Miranda is humbled and appreciative of your support, thoughts and prayers. It has been a difficult and challenging time so from the bottom of our hearts we thank you for your love and support.
To help please contribute through this Go Fund Me page or by contacting me directly or contacting David.
Davina Valk
[email redacted]
David Silva
[email redacted]
Organiser and beneficiary
Davina Valk
Organiser
Fort St. James, BC
David Silva
Beneficiary
