Supporting Joanna's battle with cancer

Dearest Friends & Family,

As many of you know my beautiful sister, Joanna, has recently been diagnosed with cancer the end of August of 2023. She was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a rare bone and soft tissue cancer that affects children and young adults.

Despite her fears, she has demonstrated so much strength through a variety of hospital & doctor visits, tests, medications, and through her first procedure.

She recently had her port placed, in which intensive chemo is to follow.

In the time of treatment, she will be staying in the hospital 3 days the 1st week, a few hours on 2nd week and 6 days 3rd week with a resting period on the 4th week. This will be followed for the next couple of months until her first surgery, in which we hope and pray will be her last. Treatment will start back up after surgery. This will be about a year long course of treatments and praying it will be the end of this nightmare. Although cancer is going to rob time away from her boys, her family and friends, she is ready to fight for her life.

For those that personally know her, know she is full of life. She's genuinely a beautiful person, inside and out.

Her smile & her laughter is so contagious. Shes so giving, loving, and overall one of my favorite humans in the world. The goofball of the family. Our best friend.

She's also an amazing mother to 2 beautiful boys, which she will travel to the end of the world for them.

Joanna is only 25 years young, and a single mom. She's the only provider for herself and her 2 boys. With being admitted into the hospital for long periods at a time, she is no longer able to work and provide for her babies as before.

This will have a massive impact on her income, bills, everyday living cost, AND now medical bills.

We are all eager for her to heal, live, create and have more precious time with us and her boys.

We are doing the best we can to prepare her for this journey, mentally, physically, and financially.

I am reaching out to you all, seeking your generosity and support in this vulnerable time for us. Any contribution, no matter how small, will be an invaluable lifeline during this difficult journey. All proceeds will go towards her boys, medical bills/treatment, cost of living.

Thank you for taking the time to read the start of Joanna's journey and for keeping her in your thoughts. Please continue to send all your love, prayers, positive vibes, and messages of strength.

Queridos amigos y familiares,

Como muchos de ustedes saben, mi hermosa hermana, Joanna, ha sido diagnosticada recientemente con cáncer a finales de agosto de 2023. Le diagnosticaron con Ewing Sarcoma, un raro cáncer de huesos y tejidos blandos que afecta a niños y adultos jóvenes.

A pesar de sus temores, ha demostrado tanta fuerza a través de una variedad de visitas al hospital y al médico, pruebas, medicamentos y a través de su primer procedimiento.

Recientemente le colocaron su catete, en el que se va a seguir la quimioterapia intensiva.

En el momento del tratamiento, se quedará en el hospital 3 días la primera semana, unas pocas horas en la segunda semana y 6 días la tercera semana con un período de descanso en la cuarta semana. Esto seguirá durante los próximos dos meses hasta su primera cirugía, en la que esperamos y rezamos que sea la última. El tratamiento comenzará de nuevo después de la cirugía. Este será un curso de tratamiento de aproximadamente un año de duración y rezar para que sea el final de esta pesadilla. Aunque el cáncer le va a robar tiempo a sus hijos, su familia y sus amigos, está lista para luchar por su vida.

Para aquellos que la conocen personalmente, saben que está llena de vida. Ella es realmente una persona hermosa, por dentro y por fuera.

Su sonrisa y su risa son tan contagiosas. Ella es tan generosa, cariñosa y, en general, una de mis humanas favoritas en el mundo. La chistosa de la familia. Nuestro mejor amiga. También es una madre increíble de 2 hermosos chicos, que viajará al fin del mundo por ellos.

Joanna solo tiene 25 años y es madre soltera. Ella es la única proveedora para ella y sus 2 hijos. Al ser ingresada en el hospital durante largos períodos a la vez, ya no puede trabajar y mantener a sus bebés como antes.

Esto tendrá un impacto masivo en sus ingresos, facturas, costo de vida diario Y ahora en sus facturas médicas.

Todos estamos ansiosos por que ella sane, viva, cree y tenga más tiempo precioso con nosotros y sus hijos.

Estamos haciendo lo mejor que podemos para prepararla para este viaje, mental, física y financieramente.

Me pongo en contacto con todos ustedes, buscando su generosidad y apoyo en este momento vulnerable para nosotros. Cualquier contribución, sin importar lo pequeña que sea, será un salvavidas invaluable durante este difícil tiempo. Todas las ganancias se destinarán a sus hijos, facturas/tratamiento médico, costo de vida.

Gracias por tomarse el tiempo para leer el comienzo del viaje de Joanna y por mantenerla en sus pensamientos. Por favor, continúe enviando todo su amor, oraciones, vibraciones positivas y mensajes de fuerza.

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UPDATES:

09/12/2023

Thank you everyone who has reached out to me. This is a rough road, to see our sister go through such an unfair tough battle. We all truly need the support. And thank you to all who have donated and shared. Words can't express my gratitude. Today my sister starts her first day of chemo. With all y'all's shares and donations, she is able to provide food and other necessities for her babies while she is admitted at the hospital for the next few days. Please continue to share with your friends and family, keep praying hard for our warrior, and please continue to share your love and support. 

Gracias a todos los que se han puesto en contacto conmigo. Este es un camino difícil, ver a nuestra hermana pasar por una batalla tan dura e injusta. Todos realmente necesitamos el apoyo. Y gracias a todos los que han donado y compartido. Las palabras no pueden expresar mi gratitud. Hoy mi hermana comienza su primer día de quimioterapia. Con todas las acciones y donaciones de todos ustedes, ella puede proporcionar alimentos y otras necesidades para sus bebés mientras ingresa en el hospital durante los próximos días. Por favor, continúe compartiendo con sus amigos y familiares, siga rezando mucho por nuestra guerrera y, por favor, continúe compartiendo su amor y apoyo.

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9/27/2023

I am absolutely inspired & amazed of how strong minded she has been through all this and still continues to be herself. So resilient. She has definitely lead by example of how we should all be through this. And it's crazy because it seems she is the strongest out of all of us, yet SHES the one going through it. I continue to pray that she has strength as she's getting through this, and that I have the strength to be the best support that she needs. Continue to pray for her, continue to send your love and your kind words. We couldn't have made it this far in donations with out you all sharing. Thank you all, and please continue to share, donate and send love  

Estoy absolutamente inspirado y asombrado de lo fuerte que ha pasado por todo esto y sigue siendo ella misma. Tan resistente. Ella definitivamente ha liderado con el ejemplo de cómo todos deberíamos pasar por esto. Y es una locura porque parece que ella es la más fuerte de todos nosotros, sin embargo, ELLA es la que lo está pasando. Sigo rezando para que tenga fuerza  para supera esto, y para que yo tenga la fuerza para ser el mejor apoyo que necesita. Continúa rezando por ella, sigue enviando tu amor y tus amables palabras. No podríamos haber llegado tan lejos en donaciones sin que todos ustedes lo compartiean. Gracias a todos, y por favor, sigan compartiendo, donando y enviando amor

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UPDATE

2/22/24

Such a huge milestone! She completed radiation. This isn't over, yet. 

Next is surgery, with a recovery of 8 weeks, followed by more chemotherapy. 

I don't know how we've kept it together this whole time. Sometimes I feel this huge lump in my throat, like I can't breath, when I think about everything my sister is going through. She truly amazes me. I am so proud of this women. She's so inspiring in many ways. She's going to beat this, I know it. Keep fighting my warrior, you're almost done. I LOVE YOU BABY SISTER. Please continue to send prayers for my sister. She's been out of work since September. Please donate and/or share. Anything truly helps.  

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06/11/2024

Message from Joanna: 

I have had extremely good outcome from treatment since starting 10 months ago. It wasn’t 100% easy but I stayed very positive. As of yesterday we have come to find out the chemo I’m doing is no longer working. The cancer has spread to both my lungs. I have over 15 Mets in both lungs which has caused a backup of fluid and am currently dealing with pain in my side due to the fluid buildup. My survival rate has gone from 80% down to 10%. Although this is extremely devastating news, I will never stop having faith. I will continue to fight and search for the best care. I couldn’t do any of this without my family. My family has taken such amazing care of me during this time, I pray to be part of the 10% and show them my gratitude for the rest of my life. There’s so many special people by my side rn and am just so grateful for the life I’m living. I pray for a beautiful long long life with my boys, it’s hard to not question why why why but I’m fully heartedly confident in Gods Plan. I have been let go of my employer since starting treatment and have been unable to return, I was suppose to be done with treatment as of next month until we got the news. I’m here today asking for some help while I have to begin an entire new treatment plan. Not everyone is in a position to donate, I completely understand that. But if you could please even just share the link it would help me so much. God bless.