Irene’s Multiple Myeloma Treatment

This is my mom, Irene in the photo on the left. Many know her as the much beloved, warm, and vibrant former owner of the San Juan Coffee Roasting Company. In 2020, after experiencing pains in her chest she was diagnosed with stage 2 metastatic breast cancer and began a long road to recovery.

Throughout the Summer of 2020 and on into the Fall, she underwent chemotherapy treatments and was momentarily cancer free. After months of illness—all of which was spent quarantining at home due to her compromised immune system—she completed her treatments. Her hair was growing back, she was regaining energy, and her lively spirit was returning.

Unfortunately, not long after her original treatments, a year later we found out that the cancer had not fully gone into remission and she required a second round of chemotherapy and radiation. This round went smoother but was still no walk in the park, and she came out of it hoping and praying it was past her.

In 2022, the difficult decision was made to sell the family business to help pay off debts and begin to phase my mom into her much deserved retirement. She worked at the coffee shop until she physically could no longer, and my Dad still continues to roast for the new owners of the business.

In 2023, she had many body pains in her back and torso and after a doctors visit and tests was again hit with the bad news that the cancer had returned. This time she had multiple tumors and we were very worried that things had taken a potentially devastating turn.

There was however a stroke of luck. I cannot begin to express how strange it is to be writing that we were *lucky* when given any diagnosis of cancer. I say this because instead of it returning with widespread metastasis, her diagnosis had been changed to a much more treatable condition. She survived breast cancer, but now has a different cancer known as Multiple Myeloma.

She is currently undergoing her third round of chemotherapy and in preparation for a targeted stem cell treatment for her cancer at Fred Hutchison. Throughout this all, she has maintained her hallmark high spirits, often times and in true Irene fashion worried more about her family and friends than herself!

Her treatments will require both her and my Dad to live in Seattle for the next 3 months, and in addition to out of pocket medical expenses, they find themselves struggling to afford the associated housing and living costs, and my Dad’s lost wages from having to step away from his continued coffee roasting job.

Myself, her family and friends are all praying for a recovery and many good years ahead for her and want to do whatever we can to make sure she can receive these necessary, targeted therapies. Please help us make this a reality!

Much love and thanks,

Nathaniel, Irene, Steve, Alex, family and friends