Help Claire Live Life Well

Justin Katrina Simpson is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Claire Cantini.

Donation protected

I would first like to say ‘Thank You’ for taking the time to read my little sister’s story. If you have been with us on this journey so far we would like to thank you for your prayers and support during this time. Our family is hoping to raise money to help pay for Claire’s medical bills and travel expenses to spend time with family and friends to experience life to the fullest until God takes her home.

***Claire and I before my wedding and before wig***

Let me begin her story…
It all began with random pains in her side. Each time the pain would come it would last longer. The doctors didn’t know what it was until one day in June 2013 her entire lower body got that numb tingly feeling. Claire was rushed to the emergency room and received scans showing a grapefruit sized tumor between her heart and spine. After all the tests were done, they discovered she has a rare bone cancer, Ewing’s Sarcoma, a PNET tumor. Emergency surgery was done to remove a portion of the tumor so that she would not become paralyzed. After that, intensive chemo began for 10 months. I had just gotten engaged days before this happened and living in CO while she lived in TX. The separation was hard. I knew my sister would be able to be at my wedding next to me by the next year. For the first 8 months, Claire learned to walk again, the remaining tumor was removed, and continual infusion of chemotherapy with 28 radiation visits consumed her days. Although there was no evidence of cancer after this intensive schedule, chemo continued for two more months. By April 2014, Claire was done with chemo and walking down the aisle to stand by my side! She went back to school that fall to finish school to become a Special Ed teacher. During this time she was living life and having fun with friends and family. Life was good!

October 2015 a checkup scan showed a small mass inside her vertebrae. Biopsies were ordered and showed the cancer was back in the spinal cord and T6 vertebrae. This was not good. We don’t like to focus on statistics but we know that every day is precious with Claire. After talking with many doctors on figuring out a course to attack the cancer this time, we were told that surgery to remove her T6 vertebrae and spinal mass was the best option. The surgical procedures were successful, and Claire was up and walking and getting back to her last semester of school. Chemotherapy was also prescribed but this time was less intensive so finishing school was much easier. Her latest scan in April 2016 showed no change, which is neither good nor bad. Doctors have suggested T-cell transplants and other research based plans, but no clinical protocols are in place for her recurrent Ewing’s Sarcoma.

Our family plans on going to Hawaii this May to celebrate Claire completing her Bachelors with honors. Go Claire! Her goals continuing on will be to complete her certification and get a job as a special ed teacher or assistant depending on what her cancer decides to do. Her drive to live life and ignore the statistics is an encouragement to all around her. She doesn’t let it bring her down.

Since Claire is only 26 we all want her to be able to enjoy as much as she can. The future trip we want her to join in on is scheduled for September 2016 to Ireland. Plane tickets are all she needs. Claire hopes to visit places like New Orleans and Boston and other exciting places in and out of the states with her friends and family.

Our family, especially Claire, would like to thank you for all the support given to help her spend what time she has with family and friends.