Hello Friends. This is an update to Shauna's Journey. Since the beginning of this campaign, Shauna has experienced two allergic reactions to the traditional chemotherapy treatments she was getting. As a result, she has been forced to move away from the traditional treatments that required her to have such strong - and expensive - anti-nausea medication.
Shauna is now on a new immunotherapy treatment that targets a specific protein in the cancer, seeks it out, and destroys it. To be eligible for this treatment called Erbitux, you have to be KRAS Wild-type. Which she is! Yay!
Shauna receives this treatment twice per month via IV. In addition, she compliments this new therapy with a traditional 46 hour infusion of 5FU chemotherapy.
Shauna has received two sessions of the Erbitux, which carries its own set of very real side effects. Skin rash, nausea, weight loss, hair loss...
But Shauna is a troopper, and willing to endure all of this and beyond if it means she can come out the other side of treatment with a few more good years of living.
And who knows, with the advancements of new treatmetns coming sooner and sooner, Shauna could be blessed to live a normal life span.
And knowing Shauna, she will do just this!
In addition to treatments, Shauna works part time as a teen librarian - her dream job - to help her family defray the insane cost of immunotherpy coupled with chemotherapy.
Because life goes on, yes?
Her husband has taken on extra work to help with the cost of bills not covered my medical insurance.
Even her 15 year old daughter has taken a job after school to help.
And even though her family has good medical insurance, coupled with the grants Shauna has been able to secure, they are still looking at thousands of dollars in expenses.
Which is why this campaign has shifted gears. Shauna was able to find funding for the anti-nausea medication - with the help of friends. So that need has been met. With that need being met, the family is trying to stay afloat.
100% of all donations received go toward paying down the medical debt that is actively piling up. Any future donations fall into the same category.
We are thankful for all those who donate their money, their time, their stories of inspiration. Everything counts, and everything keeps the family moving forward.
Thank you to our friends. Thank you to the friends we haven't met yet. You are amazing!