[August 23, 2025] My life living with cancer was shaken with yesterday's news from my UCLA oncologist of a return of high risk bladder cancer. I attribute those previous 16 months without a flare to the German immunotherapy and other care I received last year, made possible by your contributions to my 2024 Go Fund Me campaign. For certain, I am immunosuppressed by this or something else we have yet to tame. An immediate financial shortfall has prevented me from getting all the ongoing preventive cancer care I need, so I've taken on the world turning burden of moving from my beloved home where I raised my children and place it for sale. In this now updated Go Fund campaign, I'm asking for help with about $7,000 in up front moving costs that includes extra hands to help me, as well as anything you can provide towards my additional goal of about $14,870 to resume specialty medical care to keep me cancer free.

It shall take some months for the house to sell and my financial situation improve.

Meanwhile, until the dust settle, I welcome any support in raising funds to get me through the next, especially difficult four to five months. It means the world to me and my family.

Thank you!

Patricia/Trisha

Previously, I posted this (May 2024):

Dear friends, I was jolted by a diagnosis of an aggressive, high-risk bladder cancer this past January. I’m counting my lucky stars after a successful surgery but my work is far from done! Presently, I’m in a sort of cancer grace period. While the original tumor has been removed, cancer stem cells are circulating and leave me vulnerable to a high risk of recurrence and spread. By nature a thorough researcher, I’ve landed on a proven, life preserving therapy. I urgently need help with its substantial out of pocket costs. With your community support, I'll be able to get the care I need.

I’m an excellent candidate for an immunotherapy that works to enhance the patient’s own immune function. With this approach, the cancer is targeted by your amplified NK (natural killer) cells paired with an autologous (patient-specific) vaccine. You’ll read about similar innovations coming to market for melanoma and other cancer types; it’s the future of cancer treatment. Cool! But, it’s not yet covered by health insurance for bladder cancer like mine. It’s only on the menu for me if I pay out of pocket for it.

This would allow me to avoid complications from a type and grade of disease known to be highly persistent. A series of least 10-12 months of treatment is indicated, with evaluation every three months.

Why not do the standard bladder cancer chemotherapy? I'm in the category of patients with other immune issues known to have a less favorable response to chemotherapies. That, plus were I now to have one of the entry-level chemotherapies covered to some extent by health insurance (Medicare), they involve irreversible T-cell depletion in the bladder. Each later step of treatment and health becomes more complicated. At this point, it's possible that chemotherapy would be over-treatment and long term disabling for me.

Are there many alternatives for me? Unfortunately, not. Oncologists familiar with my health history tell me I don't fit the narrow requirements for clinical trials where truly promising breakthrough drugs are fast tracked to patients.

So, my path forward combines the best of what Medicare provides from a great medical team at UCLA along with advanced services from a specialty clinic but on a self-pay basis. It's a hard choice to undertake an expensive strategy yet I feel this is the best shot I've got to beat this cancer.

I can’t do this alone. Indeed, many friends are already doing a great deal to hold me up on this journey. Please join in?

For my part, I am planning to sell my house and downsize in order to help cover some of these costs, but am unable to do so quickly enough. And, it’s complicated. An ice storm that hit Portland in January knocked out power to our neighborhood for long enough that pipes froze, burst, and caused water damage throughout the back half of my house. The timing was terrible and it adds an extra layer of chaos and delay to the project of putting the house on the market.

No matter what, I need to begin this immunotherapy straight away with healing as the priority.

I’m now 73 and wonder about the years ahead. I'm about to become a first time grandmother, as both of my children are expecting babies this summer! With better health, I plan to spend time with family, get back to fighting for the health of our planet, enjoy more good miles on a bicycle and wildly cherish my remaining time in this precious life with friends and community.

I would be humbly honored and so grateful to receive any financial contribution towards my healing campaign that is within your reach.

I would dearly appreciate your emotional support. This also is a great help!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your compassion and generosity, and

Please take the best care of yourselves!

Patricia (Trisha) Dair