Hello, we write this page on behalf of our sister, Mary Brenner, who has been diagnosed with stage 3 pancreatic cancer at the end of November 2023.

Our sister has spent the last several years working as a traveling sterilization processor in various hospitals in various states. After her last traveling job she came home and just didn’t have the “get up and go” to go back to work. She and her husband, John, decided she would take some time off and rest. They decided to take their Coach RV up to Bryson City, NC and live near the river for the summer for a change of scenery. As the summer came to a close they decided they would stick around Bryson City for the winter and then determine the next steps. She picked up a PRN job as a sterilization processor at the community hospital. Meanwhile, John, who is self-employed, is commuting several hours to get to his job sites which require multiple day/nights away from Mary. By November, she still was not feeling her best. She went to her physician mid-November with a variety of symptoms most physicians would classify as benign. Her physician confirmed her blood tests looked good. We spent the weekend in Las Vegas celebrating her 60th birthday. Several weeks later she woke up jaundiced and with extreme abdominal pain. This was the beginning of this cancer diagnosis journey. She was admitted to the hospital and they performed surgery to open her biliary duct to cure the jaundice. She then had a rapid succession of appointments that informed her that her cancer is inoperable and requires chemotherapy which may lengthen her life and the oncologist informed her “this would be the fight of her life.” Her short respite to regain energy to return to work was now laden with scans, tests, procedures and a scary diagnosis of stage 3 pancreatic adenocarcinoma cancer. This is an insidious cancer where it typically is diagnosed in late stages and can be quite aggressive. Mary’s cancer has grown significantly in the short period of time since she was diagnosed and we pray that her next step treatments will stop the rapid growth.

She is enrolled in a clinical chemotherapy trial for the next three months. With her respite from working, she no longer had health insurance when diagnosed. Her initial surgery bill arrived at $45,000, but thankfully she only spent a month uninsured, and became insured January 2024. This doesn’t mean she won’t have further expenses as the yearly deductible is $8,000. This isn’t the only hurdle Mary and John are facing. They recently moved from Bryson City back to Winston Salem to be near her care and cancer resources. They are still currently living in their Coach RV, but may need to find more permanent housing. We are looking to her friends and the community to assist with the variety of expenses they are facing including her hospital bills pre & post insurance, chemotherapy and related office visits, prescriptions, assistance with housing and the loss of both John and Mary’s income as she fights this cancer full time. Although Mary and John did not request this GoFundMe, we, as their family and friends, knew they could use the support right now. They have faith in God that He will provide. We would like to eliminate this financial stress for them right now and use their energy and resources towards fighting cancer.

Time is of the essence for our sister. Every contribution, no matter how big or small, will make a significant difference in her fight against this merciless disease. Your generosity will not only provide financial support but also serve as a beacon of hope reminding us that we are not alone in battle. We understand not everyone has the means to contribute. Perhaps you would pray for Mary? Perhaps you would share this post to reach others who might contribute? Perhaps you would share the insufferable benign symptoms of pancreatic cancer to others so we can prevent others from being diagnosed so late? Pancreatic symptoms include fatigue, reflux, nausea, weight loss, breathlessness, discolored stools, abdominal or back pain. Thank you for taking the time to read this and respond as you feel led.

Blessings and Love, Randall and Leslie