Help My Mom, Heidi Siitia

My brother and I are organizing this GoFundMe for my mom, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer on May 27th, 2020. At 48 years old, my mom received her first colonoscopy as she was dealing with a bout of diverticulitis. The colonoscopy revealed masses in her colon, and after a biopsy, CT scan, MRI, and PET scan, we learned that the tumors are inoperable and cancerous, and that the cancer had metastasized to other parts of her body. We learned that she would be receiving chemotherapy for the rest of her life and would never be cured.

 

She began chemotherapy in June 2020, receiving 50 hours of treatment every two weeks for 6 months. During this time I got to see and be inspired by the radical strength and positivity of my mom, but the treatment was still debilitating. Unfortunately, this first round of chemo did not improve my mom’s condition (but did keep it stable). So, her doctors put her on a new chemotherapy regimen in February 2020. This was followed by several complications, and in April 2021 and August 2021, my mom developed infections in her colon that required hospitalization and surgery. On October 4th, she had colostomy surgery to help ease the pain and complications due to these infections. While this new chemotherapy regimen showed improvement at the first check, the second check has shown that her condition worsened, and she is now about to switch to a clinical trial.

 

Treatment has not been easy. I have seen my mom exhausted, naseous, in pain, and candidly, defeated at times. I have seen her heartache when she had to retire from her job at the Orting School District. My mom has worked for schools for 27 years, including 10 years here in her own community of Orting as a recess monitor and para-educator. I know that having to leave this job was not only a financial burden, but an emotional one too. My mom misses her job dearly and I’m sure that the primary school children miss their “Miss Heidi” too.

 

As of now, the cancer has spread from my mom’s colon to her lymph nodes, gallbladder, kidneys, liver, and stomach lining. We are hopeful that this clinical trial will be successful, and we know that many people have had success with them. In the past, a friend of my mom’s offered to put together a GoFundMe for her and she refused. If you know my mom, you know that she is stubborn and independent and hates asking for help, but we need your help now. My brother and I are asking for donations to help my mom with medical expenses, some living expenses, and future in-home care expenses, which will be imperative and extremely helpful if/when my mom’s condition worsens. While my mom’s diagnosis has had a profoundly difficult effect on me and my family, we are always amazed at the support and love that my mom receives from other people. Thank you eternally for your donation and for sharing.

 

Hannah and Austin Siitia