Help Our Sister Fight Her Battle
Donation protected
On behalf of my family, I am launching this fundraiser to assist with medical expenses for our sister in Jamaica, Denise Kirlew (née Williamson). Twelve years ago, Denise underwent surgery to remove carcinoid tumors from her small intestine and appendix. In May of this year, she was diagnosed with Metastatic Carcinoid Tumour with associated carcinoid syndrome, a rare cancer.
Carcinoid syndrome is a group of symptoms that happen with carcinoid tumours. These tumours start in the cells that make certain chemicals. These cells then release more of these chemicals into the blood stream.
Since Denise’s tumours have begun to spread (or metastasize), she has begun to have symptoms that are causing her terrible pains and distress. In her own words, “I have on and off abdominal pains that are at times so severe that pain medications do not help. I experience facial flushing and redness on my face at times. I have occasional diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting along with shortness of breath, heart palpitations and chest pains. My feet get swollen with horrible pains. I am also experiencing weight loss and extreme fatigue.”
The prescribed medication she needs, Somatostatin analogue, an injection, is very costly ($275,000 Jamaican dollars every 28 days). These injections are to stop the body from making too many hormones and can also slow the growth of the tumours, as they are spreading on her liver.
Denise lights up a room as soon as she walks through the door. In our family, she is the comedian who always has us rolling on the floor with laughter at her jokes and voice impressions. She always remembers birthdays and anniversaries of family and friends. She telephones our 89-year old father every day; even when she is hospitalized. She has the biggest heart and goes out of her way to help anyone – even strangers.
Looking at Denise, you could never imagine the pain she is going through, because she hides it with a smile. Even with her illness causing her such terrible pains, she hardly misses a day of work because she is a dedicated worker who takes her job seriously. Some days she gets sad; but this does not last for long because Denise is a fighter who does not give up easily. As she says, “I get overwhelmed with depression, but I am encouraged by family and great friends”.
This illness has proven to be very costly and is taking a great financial toll on her as she has had to do numerous tests and procedures, that are ongoing. She has done x-rays, ultrasounds, MRI, an endoscopy, echocardiograms, colonoscopy, and CT scans (that caused near-fatal reactions as she is allergic to the dye used). She also has had to do a blood test - Chromogranin A – that had to be sent overseas. She also now needs to do a guided ultrasound biopsy of her liver.
Denise will ultimately need to do a liver resection – which is surgery to remove the part or parts of her liver with the tumours. A doctor has told her that, without the medication, surgery is risky but the medication can shrink the tumours. Her surgery and aftercare will also be quite costly.
With each passing day, Denise is suffering more and more because the carcinoid syndrome causes her to have heart palpitations, chest pains, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and abdominal pains.
We are a close-knit family and cannot imagine life without our youngest sister and we are doing everything in our powers to get her the medication she needs so surgery can be done; but we are also asking for your help as this need is urgent.
In Jamaica, we have a saying, “Every mickle mek a muckle” (every little thing can add up to something big) and we would deeply appreciate whatever you are able to contribute as we join forces together to save a beautiful, kind, loving person, who has made our family a better one.
On behalf of my family, I thank you for whatever assistance you can give.
Carol Foster (née Williamson)
Carcinoid syndrome is a group of symptoms that happen with carcinoid tumours. These tumours start in the cells that make certain chemicals. These cells then release more of these chemicals into the blood stream.
Since Denise’s tumours have begun to spread (or metastasize), she has begun to have symptoms that are causing her terrible pains and distress. In her own words, “I have on and off abdominal pains that are at times so severe that pain medications do not help. I experience facial flushing and redness on my face at times. I have occasional diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting along with shortness of breath, heart palpitations and chest pains. My feet get swollen with horrible pains. I am also experiencing weight loss and extreme fatigue.”
The prescribed medication she needs, Somatostatin analogue, an injection, is very costly ($275,000 Jamaican dollars every 28 days). These injections are to stop the body from making too many hormones and can also slow the growth of the tumours, as they are spreading on her liver.
Denise lights up a room as soon as she walks through the door. In our family, she is the comedian who always has us rolling on the floor with laughter at her jokes and voice impressions. She always remembers birthdays and anniversaries of family and friends. She telephones our 89-year old father every day; even when she is hospitalized. She has the biggest heart and goes out of her way to help anyone – even strangers.
Looking at Denise, you could never imagine the pain she is going through, because she hides it with a smile. Even with her illness causing her such terrible pains, she hardly misses a day of work because she is a dedicated worker who takes her job seriously. Some days she gets sad; but this does not last for long because Denise is a fighter who does not give up easily. As she says, “I get overwhelmed with depression, but I am encouraged by family and great friends”.
This illness has proven to be very costly and is taking a great financial toll on her as she has had to do numerous tests and procedures, that are ongoing. She has done x-rays, ultrasounds, MRI, an endoscopy, echocardiograms, colonoscopy, and CT scans (that caused near-fatal reactions as she is allergic to the dye used). She also has had to do a blood test - Chromogranin A – that had to be sent overseas. She also now needs to do a guided ultrasound biopsy of her liver.
Denise will ultimately need to do a liver resection – which is surgery to remove the part or parts of her liver with the tumours. A doctor has told her that, without the medication, surgery is risky but the medication can shrink the tumours. Her surgery and aftercare will also be quite costly.
With each passing day, Denise is suffering more and more because the carcinoid syndrome causes her to have heart palpitations, chest pains, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and abdominal pains.
We are a close-knit family and cannot imagine life without our youngest sister and we are doing everything in our powers to get her the medication she needs so surgery can be done; but we are also asking for your help as this need is urgent.
In Jamaica, we have a saying, “Every mickle mek a muckle” (every little thing can add up to something big) and we would deeply appreciate whatever you are able to contribute as we join forces together to save a beautiful, kind, loving person, who has made our family a better one.
On behalf of my family, I thank you for whatever assistance you can give.
Carol Foster (née Williamson)
Organizer
Carol Foster
Organizer
Calgary, AB
