Help Support Genevieve's cancer treatment 2020

My younger sister Genevieve was diagnosed with Ovarian cancer in November 2015. Her treatment continues and we seek donations of $70,000 for  ongoing treatment and home care costs. She is having chemotherapy from March to August 2019 including the drug Avastin that is not covered by the Government for Genevieve's stage of ovarian cancer and costs $4000 per month.

My sister Genevieve is the most generous person I know. She has worked so hard all her life in caring for others as an optometrist working with disadvantaged communities and Aboriginal communities. She has always been ready to step in and help my family (including my husband and four children) financially for many years, to help with mortgage payments and many other family expenses. She's been so generous and often anticipates when we need help. Words can't describe how grateful I and my family feel to have such a generous family member. We are asking for help now that Genevieve herself is in need.

Genevieve had six months of chemotherapy in 2016 and resumed her work and had 15 months cancer free. The cancer recurred in December 2017 and she had another six months of chemotherapy which worked on the cancer but was hard on her body and she needed several blood transfusions and a lot of help to survive.

Later in 2018 Genevieve had a break from chemo therapy and sought less invasive treatment overseas helping her maintain a good quality of life and stretching the time between chemotherapy treatments, which is helpful in enabling chemotherapy drugs to maintain or regain their effectiveness. Genevieve worked hard to organise this overseas treatment and travelled there on her own which she found difficult.

Unfortunately, Genevieve's cancer has now returned and spread through the bones. Her Melbourne oncologist has recommended a six month course of chemotherapy and expects Genevieve  should have a good response. Only one of the chemotherapy drugs is covered by the Government Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). The other drug Avastin is not covered by the PBS for Genevieve's stage of ovarian cancer even though Genevieve's oncologist advises there is data showing it increasing progression free survival. The cost of adding the Avastin to the treatment is $4000 per month for six months so a total of $24,000 during the full course of treatment.  During the past years Genevieve has also been caring for our 81 year old father (with some help from family).

We are now faced with the cost of the chemotherapy drug Avastin $24,000 as well as the need to pay for home nursing and household help for Genevieve and our father (currently on a 6 month wait list for Aged Care package). About 20 hours per week help is needed as the rest of the family needs to work to support themselves, as well as transport costs. The estimated cost of this is $750 per week so $19,500 over six months. In addition, Genevieve receives supportive treatment in Melbourne including vitamin C and hyperbaric oxygen therapy and nutritional supplements to keep her body healthy during chemotherapy and potentially improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy and help her body to recover after chemotherapy. The cost of this is $500 per week so $26,000 across 12 months.

There is good research and new treatments becoming available for ovarian cancer regularly.  Please help us to support Genevieve through her current course of chemotherapy so she stays healthy enough to take advantage of these new treatments as they become available.

Thank you so much for your support. We are seeking to raise $70,000 to help Genevieve through the next 6-12 months.

If you can’t contribute financially please contact Genevieve directly as there are lots of other ways you can help eg transport, cooking, household help (friends and family only).