Shareen Viernes Leukemia Fight

Aloha All,

We are Shareen’s older and younger sisters, Eunise and Kayla, and we’re asking that you help us support our sister on her Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) journey and recovery. She’s in for the fight of her life and will get through this with your support, positive and encouraging words and prayers.

We received devastating news three weeks ago, at a time when our hometown of Lahaina and its families were still trying to process all that had happened. The last thing that we expected to hear was that our fun-loving, compassionate, and tough sister was fighting for her life. She had been feeling under the weather and went to urgent care twice during the week. After that week of not feeling any better, despite prescribed medications, she attempted to go to work but knew something wasn’t right. She went to the ER and was immediately given 2 blood transfusions and a 3rd one the very next day. All of her numbers (red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and hemoglobin) were critically low. The doctors suspected leukemia and an oncologist was there with her that very first day in the ER.

A bone marrow biopsy confirmed that it was Acute Myeloid Leukemia, an aggressive form of bone marrow cancer. She was transferred to a hospital with a cancer center and started her week-long induction chemotherapy treatment. We are hoping that her body will respond to the chemo and not have to do another cycle, which would keep her in the hospital even longer.

Shareen is a teacher and will not be able to return to work until she completes much of her treatment, which will take months. The funds raised will help to relieve some of her financial obligations so she can stay focused on her fight until she is able to return to work.

Shareen loves life, is so kind and generous, and always takes care of everyone before herself. She can’t wait to catch a movie in a theater again, spend time with her family at home or just run to the store, simple things that we may sometimes take for granted.

We, along with our parents and everyone in our family thank you for your prayers and so many kind words of support for our sister. We will update you on Shareen’s survival journey!