Help Nikki Tuning Battle Stage 4 Ovarian Cancer

UPDATE 1: We almost hit our initial $600 goal in less than an hour, so we changed the goal to $1000 so we can use those additional funds to cover some of the immediate hospital expenses. Thank you so much to everyone who has donated so far, we love you.

UPDATE 2: Not even an hour after our 2nd goal, we are almost there! Thank you to everyone for this outpouring of love and support.

UPDATE 3: Thank you to everyone who has donated thus far. The level of love and support Nikki has received in this time is nothing short of amazing. We have updated the goal one last time to keep the page active and will be leaving it at this amount going forward. Thank you again to everyone who has given to Nikki in this time of need.

Hello all! This is Nikki Tuning; musician, barista, lover of life, and unfortunately, a recently diagnosed stage 4 cancer patient.

On October 3rd, 2024, Nikki entered an urgent care facility due to a shortness of breath. It was there she learned she had a pleural effusion, a buildup of liquid underneath her right lung and inside of the chest cavity. After receiving treatment for the effusion, the liquid was tested and revealed to be cancerous in nature. Over the following week, she learned that the source was stage 4 ovarian cancer. It was a hard-hitting diagnosis that dramatically and rapidly shifted Nikki's day-to-day life. Nikki, only being 26 years old, never imagined that her shortness of breath was caused by something as serious as cancer, and so it came as quite a shock.

Since her initial diagnosis, she has been seen by several doctors and developed a treatment plan with them. Step 1 in this treatment plan was an operation to place a PleurX™ Pleural Catheter System in her chest to continuously drain the liquid in order to allow her lung to fully expand once again. This catheter system is only partially covered by her insurance and is a required part of her treatment, forcing her to make payments of $200 out of pocket to receive this necessary medical aid. Step 2 in the treatment plan is an aggressive surgery to remove many of the organs affected by the cancer. As mentioned prior, her cancer is stage 4 ovarian, and thus she will be receiving a full hysterectomy, removing her uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes, ovaries, as well as omentum (the fatty lining of her abdomen), her appendix, and potentially part of her digestive tract. With a surgery this expansive, she will be out of work for an indeterminate amount of time as she recovers. After her initial recovery from surgery, she will begin Step 3, which is chemotherapy. Chemotherapy will be treated outpatient, meaning she will be in the comfort of her own home while receiving treatment, but she will once again have to remain out of work while she receives this necessary treatment.

All of this is to say that Nikki needs help right now, and financial assistance is the best help for her right now as she continues to battle this terrible condition. Her insurance is covering some of her treatment costs, and she has been in contact with local cancer aid groups for disposable supplies, counseling, and nutritional programs, but if you wish to help Nikki, the best way to do so right now is with a donation to this GoFundMe campaign. Please, anything you can or are willing to give will go directly to Nikki in order to help her fight. Your donation will go towards the necessary medical equipment she needs, paying her insurance premium to maintain her insurance plan, ensuring she has a place to sleep and food to eat, or lastly, to helping cover the medical bills as they continue to rack up.

Unfortunately, cancer treatment is extremely expensive and difficult to afford at her income level, so once again, please consider making a donation to Nikki Tuning so that she may continue her fight against stage 4 ovarian cancer.