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Hi everyone, 2021 has not turned out to be the year we hoped for. We had just started planning our wedding and looked into purchasing our first home when Monique noticed a lump on her chest and another on her neck.
Following 2 weeks of every diagnostic test you could imagine, including a two day notice for a surgical biopsy, the doctors' verdict was definitive. My fiancée Monique has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a type of blood cancer originating in the lymph nodes.
We received this diagnosis in late January 2021 and have not had time to process the information before being thrown into a cycle of IVF to collect and freeze eggs. Therefore, the month of February involved daily injections and a second operation. We hope this single cycle of egg freezing will prove enough to enable us to have children in the future.
February ended with the first of four cycles of chemotherapy. As I write this campaign it is the end of March 2021 and Monique is in the process of completing her second cycle of chemo. She has been a tough trooper throughout and we are doing our best to keep spirits up. The second PET scan is scheduled for after Easter, where we hope to see an improvement in her condition.
Thankfully, Monique’s prognosis is considered good. Hodgkin's Lymphoma is a highly treatable cancer and Monique is young and strong. She is able to continue working a few days a week as recommended by the doctors, but only light duties. I have taken time off work to take Monique to various appointments resulting in our income taking a hit.
As you can imagine, the unforeseen financial costs involved have increased rapidly and our emergency fund is now depleted. Almost every procedure has required a co-payment and we are now living paycheck to paycheck. This is unfamiliar territory for us. As we live and work in Melbourne, we are far from our support network in our hometown of Wollongong, NSW. Covid-19 has made any visits from family a risky prospect if the borders are suddenly shut.
We would greatly appreciate your help in getting us back on track with our lives and assisting with some of the financial cost of this battle with cancer. Close family and friends are encouraged to contact us directly to provide support. This Easter we cannot travel to Wollongong to see our family and friends as Monique needs to access hospital treatment several times a week.
Thank you in advance for your support.
Joseph Giorgio and Monique Peters.
Following 2 weeks of every diagnostic test you could imagine, including a two day notice for a surgical biopsy, the doctors' verdict was definitive. My fiancée Monique has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a type of blood cancer originating in the lymph nodes.
We received this diagnosis in late January 2021 and have not had time to process the information before being thrown into a cycle of IVF to collect and freeze eggs. Therefore, the month of February involved daily injections and a second operation. We hope this single cycle of egg freezing will prove enough to enable us to have children in the future.
February ended with the first of four cycles of chemotherapy. As I write this campaign it is the end of March 2021 and Monique is in the process of completing her second cycle of chemo. She has been a tough trooper throughout and we are doing our best to keep spirits up. The second PET scan is scheduled for after Easter, where we hope to see an improvement in her condition.
Thankfully, Monique’s prognosis is considered good. Hodgkin's Lymphoma is a highly treatable cancer and Monique is young and strong. She is able to continue working a few days a week as recommended by the doctors, but only light duties. I have taken time off work to take Monique to various appointments resulting in our income taking a hit.
As you can imagine, the unforeseen financial costs involved have increased rapidly and our emergency fund is now depleted. Almost every procedure has required a co-payment and we are now living paycheck to paycheck. This is unfamiliar territory for us. As we live and work in Melbourne, we are far from our support network in our hometown of Wollongong, NSW. Covid-19 has made any visits from family a risky prospect if the borders are suddenly shut.
We would greatly appreciate your help in getting us back on track with our lives and assisting with some of the financial cost of this battle with cancer. Close family and friends are encouraged to contact us directly to provide support. This Easter we cannot travel to Wollongong to see our family and friends as Monique needs to access hospital treatment several times a week.
Thank you in advance for your support.
Joseph Giorgio and Monique Peters.