Shawna’s Fight Against Cancer

If you know Shawna, you know that she was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis when she was six years old. It is an autoimmune disease that affects the small intestine and has always given her random aches and pains throughout her life. But my sister is a trooper and never let her illness become her disability. So in October, when she was expressing concern about extreme right shoulder pain, we all knew she had to have something else going on.

She went to the ER and saw multiple doctors on numerous occasions and they couldn’t find anything wrong with her shoulder. Until Saturday 1/13 when she started having stabbing pains in her stomach, accompanied by a fever that she knew couldn’t be her UC flaring up. The next day, the pain only got worse and she was taken to the ER. After running some tests they found a massive tumor inside of her, not only causing that pain, but most likely her shoulder pain as well. A softball sized mass was detected in and around her liver, along with three other unknown cysts on both kidneys and pancreas. My twenty-nine year old sister, who rarely touches alcohol, now has a giant tumor intertwined with her liver. We found out just days later that the tumor is unfortunately cancerous. Without any family history of liver cancer and Shawna being a relatively healthy individual, she now has Hepatocellular Carcinoma. A cancer that usually makes middle aged men it’s target, decided to sink its teeth into my sister. Before the age of thirty, Shawna now has to undergo major surgery to remove the entire right half of her liver. Most likely she will need immunotherapy after the tumor has been removed as well.

Shawna has made a life for herself helping every animal in need that she meets. She is the Lifesavings Manager at a well known shelter in Southern New Jersey. She would do absolutely anything to save an animal. From stopping on the highway to catch a loose dog, to crawling through bushes to save a stray kitten, Shawna is the kindest person you will meet. Her caring nature is probably how she ended up with nine animals in her home today. Shawna is a compassionate advocate for animals and a loyal friend, daughter and sister. She has a beautiful soul and energy that she shares with everyone she meets. No one deserves to have cancer, my sister especially. I have never met a person as strong headed and brave as her. But, you can be as tough as a mule and still need help sometimes.

Our family is devastated by this news. We cannot understand how this can be happening to someone so young, with their whole life to live. Life is unfair sometimes, but no one could have anticipated this. Please help me help Shawna during these uncertain times while she fights for her life.

Shawna is already receiving multiple medical bills from the imaging of her shoulder and hospital stays. Despite having health insurance, her medical bills are already adding up. This fundraiser has been created by her younger sister, Loren. All funds from this Go Fund Me will go directly to Shawna’s medical care. Please consider helping if you are able to do so. We are so very grateful for any and every donation during this difficult time.