Hello all!

My name is Eric Gagnier, and I started this Gofundme to help my sister with her ongoing battle against Stage 4 Synovial Sarcoma. Our whole family was in shock when we heard about this rare diagnosis. Only about 1% of cancer patients battle this type of cancer, and even fewer have had this cancer spread to the pancreas - and to make it more challenging, her tumors have spread into the portal and splenic veins, making surgery impossible at this time. All this is to say she is a unicorn within the medical community.

The surgeons in North Carolina told my sister that she had only 3-6 months to live and that there was little they could do for her. In the mysterious ways He works, God blessed us and pointed us to MD Anderson in Houston, TX, for a second opinion. Luckily when she got there, the doctors did not put a timeline on her life, but instead laid out a plan to aggressively attack this rare cancer. Liz packed her bags for seven days but found out it would be a much longer stay as MD Anderson is one of only a few places that could effectively treat this type of Cancer. She immediately started AIM chemo (one of the strongest out there) as an in-patient. After only two rounds (5 days of chemo followed by 16 days off), I am happy to report that there are already encouraging signs of the tumors shrinking, but there is still a long battle ahead.

Liz is a compassionate mother and loving wife. The decision to go to Houston meant leaving her husband Stephen and two beautiful children, ages 17 and 2, behind in North Carolina. You will understand this would be no easy decision for anyone with children. It’s a gamble when you don't know how long you have to live and move away in hopes of the chance to live a long life and watch your children grow old. This choice must have been the hardest thing in the world for her to do. Her love for those girls and her husband knows no boundaries, and the emotional pain she feels on top of the treatment is enough to break someone. With the tremendous support of her husband, she is doing what she needs to do with love and positivity inside her heart. I have yet to hear her complain about anything. This strong, stoic woman is my role model, my best friend, and the most important person to my family.

My sister Liz is everything to her family and me. Our whole life, we have had the most special bond I could have ever imagined. She has been the older sister you only see in movies and read about in books. She is a sister that demonstrates qualities of honesty, loyalty and trustworthiness. Her compassion for everyone around her knows no limits. When we were young, I remember her taking all the flak from our parents so I didn’t have to, and never expecting me to return the favor. That's her core. She gives relentlessly and asks for nothing. Her whole life she has been able to overcome adversity, all while keeping a smile on her face and maintaining a positive attitude. She is a massive part of why I am the man, father, and husband I am today. She is my guiding light through my darkest days, and I have no idea where I would be today without her. The values I gained from her now trickle down to my children,something that I’m forever grateful for. God has blessed me with the most fantastic sibling one could ask for. She has been my biggest cheerleader in life, and now I’m willing to do whatever it takes to be her biggest supporter.

When I heard Liz had cancer, I was afraid beyond what I was willing to admit. I could not bring myself to be honest about what was happening. I flew out to see her the moment I could, which should have been the most fantastic experience. Instead, it put me in so much pain and made me so angry – I wondered why it was her and not me, and why the world wasn’t stopping to mourn the news of this beautiful human with me. I felt like I could barely breathe, like my heart had shattered and I would be lost forever. It seems like cancer likes to mess with the best people in life. I was worried about her future and confused because I had never felt like this. Her husband is holding down the fort in North Carolina to maintain some form of normalcy for their children and to keep working to pay their daily bills. Thinking of this started to shift my concerns and worries. I began to focus on my nieces. Hailey and Cora are two strong girls, one becoming a woman, both who undoubtedly are going to make a positive impact on our world one day. How are they dealing with this mentally? Will they be able to visit their mom? How were they feeling with their mother so far out of reach? So many of the people I love have had their lives changed drastically, and there is little we can do about it.

This has been a terrible situation, but I know God gives us trials and tribulations that we can handle and will make us stronger.

After the shock of her diagnosis and the initial scramble to get her to the right doctors, it was clear that we needed to rent a house and have someone to stay with her at all times through each cycle of chemotherapy. Liz and Stephen’s family and friends have jumped at the opportunity to assist when and where they can, from providing child care while Stephen works, to staying with Liz in Houston to help her through her treatment, to helping with the initial funds for living and travel. But expenses have been mounting.

We were able to get enough funds together for her to move there for the start of the treatment, and we are determined to keep her there as long as necessary to see her through. I saw her for two days at the start of all this, and she was sent to the ER on one of those days. That experience was eye-opening to see how vital it was that she stayed as close as she could to the team of people working to find a cure for her.

Our family and friends greatly support us, but with the mounting costs, I felt there was a need to create a GoFundMe. My family and friends have been asking what they could do to help, and this fundraiser was my answer so that everyone could donate whatever amount they wanted. I'm praying we can reach out to others beyond the people I know personally.

We want to use the funds from this fundraiser for:

$60,000 for ongoing medical expenses (e.g., hospital bills, pharmacy, etc.)

$4,000 for airfare tickets to help fly Liz’s husband and daughters back and forth to be with her and her keep her spirits strong during this process

$20,000 for living expenses in Houston (e.g., housing, car, meals etc.) for the next three months

$11,000 for ongoing living expenses in North Carolina (e.g., childcare, supplemental income due to Liz not working, etc.).

I am fearful, yes, but also optimistic. I love my sister. I am fighting for my sister, as are all of her family.

Will you contribute to my fundraiser? A gift of any amount will mean the world to our family and me.

Thank you all for taking the time to read my story and for helping us defeat this cancer. If you would like to speak with me about Liz and the fundraiser, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Love,

Eric Gagnier