Raise money to go towards a wig for chemo

Tabitha, is 39 years old and has always been very active and full of life. She loves yoga, running, and even helped start a competitive womens dragon boat team with her friends.

She began to get really sick earlier this year, and all of those activities that she loves were no longer possible. She went in and out of the emergency room and was dismissed over and over again with them telling her she had gout or the flu and sending her home with Tylenol. After fighting for someone to listen to her, she was eventually diagnosed with Stage 3 Clear Cell Ovarian Cancer. This is a very rare and aggressive form of cancer and we saw our very active and energetic sister / daughter / friend / neighbor / teammate go downhill very fast.

She has loved living in Vancouver for the last 15 years but would have gone anywhere for treatment if that was possible. Unfortunately her type of cancer causes blood clots. She has three clots in her legs and multiple clots on both sides of her lungs. She has to now inject herself with a needle every single night to try and keep the clots from worsening, however there have been breakthrough clots even while on the blood thinner due to the cancer. This means that she can't get on a plane or travel far from hospitals.

Her family is all located in Ontario, and the costs of flights, and lost wages are starting to add up. She normally lives alone but has required more care than the public system could provide since February. Family has taken weeks on end off work and away from their own significant others to help out and ensure she doesn't feel alone.

She has recently gone through debulking surgery to remove her uterus, tubes, ovaries, tumors in lymph nodes and multiple tumors along her stomach lining. The surgery went well and the recovery time is expected to be 4-6 weeks. They did not get all of the cancer, and chemo is the next step as soon as she is strong enough from surgery to withstand it.

Chemo will be 6 rounds and will last close to six months as the sessions run 3 weeks apart. She still has a very long road ahead of her. Even if remission is achieved, there is a 70% chance that the cancer will return within 1-2 years.

She is going through a lot of grieving. Grieving the life she once knew, and all of the little things she took for granted like just going to yoga or going for a walk, and now she is grieving the loss of her long black hair that she loves and is about to lose.

Wig consultations for real, long hair wigs are running between $3500-$5300. There are some cheaper options out there but these are the ones that look the most natural and the ones that can help her feel slightly normal again.

With her mom on disability, and brothers already taking caregiver EI and lost wages to help out, and Tabitha herself needing to be on STD and receiving less income due to illness, all of these costs such as flights and a wig, are really starting to add up. Flights alone are hundreds of dollars one way from Toronto to Vancouver. The family has been trying to manage but it has been difficult. It also leaves very little room for anything special or fun that might bring a smile to her face on some very dark days.

Anything you can give is helpful and appreciated, please share and thank you from Tabitha, her family, and her friends.