Save A Cancer Patient's Eyesight
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I am writing because I need your help. Please keep reading.
Take a closer look into the exam.
Four years ago, the universe brought me a great friend. She is a friend that possesses pure and raw talent in countless forms. I cannot limit it to only photography, videography, graphic design, illustration, or poetry – just to name a few. She somehow manages to convey a unique, rough sort of charm with a mouth like a sailor, which is simultaneously is offset by fierce loyalty and undying love for her family of “misfits” unlike any other individual I have met in this life. If you are lucky enough to cross paths with her, you will have joined our humble family (of possibly HUNDREDS of people) who will vouch for her rare form of friendship. For a person who adds so greatly to the lives of those she touches, why is it that the same universal power that brought her to us also wants to strip her of everything?
How many things can you possibly take away from an individual before they throw in the towel and surrender?
Her health. In 2008, Shawn Cooper was diagnosed with what is typically thought to be a relatively curable form of thyroid cancer. Shawn underwent eight invasive dissection procedures performed on her neck, fusion of discs in her spinal cord, the implantation of metal rods, a radioactive iodine injection – which by itself sounds scary as hell – and one seriously dangerous round of radiation therapy*: all of which have proven to be completely ineffective.
*To put it into perspective, 1,000 REM of radiation will flat-out kill you and 800 REM may potentially cause bladder cancer. Shawn underwent 700 REM of radiation and is still living with this monster.
Her sight. Shawn’s original doctors made some choices that resulted in serious adverse consequences to her health. Prescriptions seem to arbitrarily come flying off the pad one after another, while the red tape of the insurance industry results in countless referrals that send her bouncing back and forth among providers. A missed diagnosis – a second, potentially fatal disease Syringomyelia located at the base of her brain stem – is taking away the sensation in her hands and the sight from her eyes. Any sort of trauma or aggravation in the form of surgery to this particular area of the spinal cord can easily result in permanent damage.
Her trust. One particular healthcare provider, whose name we will respectfully omit, decided to prescribe a medication that, in turn, would cause permanent damage to Shawn’s eyesight. The anticonvulsant drug Topamax was prescribed by this doctor to treat the onset of migraines, with full knowledge of its side effects in conjunction with the pre-existing eye condition. After only 2 weeks on Topamax, a woman who has lived with perfect 20/20 vision her entire life and built her entire career around her “eye for detail” has now been reduced to being able to see minimally out of only one eye along with the presence of cataracts in both. She is now facing a procedure that will require two separate, invasive surgeries on each eye, requiring a minimum of 10 days completely and utterly motionless to ensure a full recovery.
What else will she be forced to give up if she loses her eyesight completely?
After a lifetime of abuse and eight years of thyroid related turmoil, our Shawn is still battling an ugly beast that is trying to kill her from the inside-out in the slowest and most painful way possible.
Shawn relentlessly fights the good fight. I know that she will endure with or without the help of effective procedures and treatments. And I know she will forever continue to kick some serious ass with or without the help of doctors and nurses who care for her.
With each prescribed procedure and every unveiling of a new bleak diagnosis, we continually find ourselves pondering: Just how the hell does she do it?
To make it better, she doesn’t fight for only herself. Shawn surrounds herself with those who have their own personal struggles. With each step that she takes as she fights for her own life, she never hesitates to stop and help another individual who has been dealt an ugly and unfair hand.
Her own handpicked family, her Band of Misfits, will forever take precedence in her world. I believe that this is the driving force behind her warrior’s spirit. A strapping 12 year old son who one day dreams of being a doctor and who will truly care for the patients he will one day treat; a 27 year old marine veteran, disabled in the line of duty and living out his days in a wheelchair; past and present cancer fighters and survivors, their stories, their families and their friends – Shawn somehow is able to possess love and encouragement in such abundance that her reach knows no boundaries. She is fighting for all of us; she is fighting for us even when we ourselves have chosen to throw our hands up in defeat. Did I mention that she would quite literally put her fists up and lay down a monumental ass-whooping for our sake? Cancer couldn’t take her head-on in a fist-fight, but unfortunately that’s not how diseases pick their fights.
Battling cancer is terrifying, excruciatingly painful, and extremely expensive. Nobody should have to fight all alone. While Shawn finds her life abundant with love from her friends and family, please help us support her.
You can extend your support in various other ways along with us. For more information and an intimate look into Shawn’s world , her friends, and her on-going battle please visit www.bandofmsfts.com
The darkness in this universe can take away a woman’s health, her sight, and her trust in the healthcare system, but it will never take away her fight, her legacy, or her spirit.
Support her medical fund.
Visit our site.
Learn more.
Please.
Thank you,
Written by: Donna Hranica
Go fund me has asked me to include the following information:
1. Who you are: Shawn Cooper
2. Where you're from: Camp Hill, PA
3. Your relationship to the parties you're raising funds for: Myself and my surgical procedures
4. How the funds will be spent (be specific as possible): the first surgery will entail my left eye, funds to cover the out of pocket expenses where insurance will not cover, and required prescriptions which are also not covered.
5. How you intend to get the funds to those in need: will make withdawal prior to schedule surgery dates.
Take a closer look into the exam.
Four years ago, the universe brought me a great friend. She is a friend that possesses pure and raw talent in countless forms. I cannot limit it to only photography, videography, graphic design, illustration, or poetry – just to name a few. She somehow manages to convey a unique, rough sort of charm with a mouth like a sailor, which is simultaneously is offset by fierce loyalty and undying love for her family of “misfits” unlike any other individual I have met in this life. If you are lucky enough to cross paths with her, you will have joined our humble family (of possibly HUNDREDS of people) who will vouch for her rare form of friendship. For a person who adds so greatly to the lives of those she touches, why is it that the same universal power that brought her to us also wants to strip her of everything?
How many things can you possibly take away from an individual before they throw in the towel and surrender?
Her health. In 2008, Shawn Cooper was diagnosed with what is typically thought to be a relatively curable form of thyroid cancer. Shawn underwent eight invasive dissection procedures performed on her neck, fusion of discs in her spinal cord, the implantation of metal rods, a radioactive iodine injection – which by itself sounds scary as hell – and one seriously dangerous round of radiation therapy*: all of which have proven to be completely ineffective.
*To put it into perspective, 1,000 REM of radiation will flat-out kill you and 800 REM may potentially cause bladder cancer. Shawn underwent 700 REM of radiation and is still living with this monster.
Her sight. Shawn’s original doctors made some choices that resulted in serious adverse consequences to her health. Prescriptions seem to arbitrarily come flying off the pad one after another, while the red tape of the insurance industry results in countless referrals that send her bouncing back and forth among providers. A missed diagnosis – a second, potentially fatal disease Syringomyelia located at the base of her brain stem – is taking away the sensation in her hands and the sight from her eyes. Any sort of trauma or aggravation in the form of surgery to this particular area of the spinal cord can easily result in permanent damage.
Her trust. One particular healthcare provider, whose name we will respectfully omit, decided to prescribe a medication that, in turn, would cause permanent damage to Shawn’s eyesight. The anticonvulsant drug Topamax was prescribed by this doctor to treat the onset of migraines, with full knowledge of its side effects in conjunction with the pre-existing eye condition. After only 2 weeks on Topamax, a woman who has lived with perfect 20/20 vision her entire life and built her entire career around her “eye for detail” has now been reduced to being able to see minimally out of only one eye along with the presence of cataracts in both. She is now facing a procedure that will require two separate, invasive surgeries on each eye, requiring a minimum of 10 days completely and utterly motionless to ensure a full recovery.
What else will she be forced to give up if she loses her eyesight completely?
After a lifetime of abuse and eight years of thyroid related turmoil, our Shawn is still battling an ugly beast that is trying to kill her from the inside-out in the slowest and most painful way possible.
Shawn relentlessly fights the good fight. I know that she will endure with or without the help of effective procedures and treatments. And I know she will forever continue to kick some serious ass with or without the help of doctors and nurses who care for her.
With each prescribed procedure and every unveiling of a new bleak diagnosis, we continually find ourselves pondering: Just how the hell does she do it?
To make it better, she doesn’t fight for only herself. Shawn surrounds herself with those who have their own personal struggles. With each step that she takes as she fights for her own life, she never hesitates to stop and help another individual who has been dealt an ugly and unfair hand.
Her own handpicked family, her Band of Misfits, will forever take precedence in her world. I believe that this is the driving force behind her warrior’s spirit. A strapping 12 year old son who one day dreams of being a doctor and who will truly care for the patients he will one day treat; a 27 year old marine veteran, disabled in the line of duty and living out his days in a wheelchair; past and present cancer fighters and survivors, their stories, their families and their friends – Shawn somehow is able to possess love and encouragement in such abundance that her reach knows no boundaries. She is fighting for all of us; she is fighting for us even when we ourselves have chosen to throw our hands up in defeat. Did I mention that she would quite literally put her fists up and lay down a monumental ass-whooping for our sake? Cancer couldn’t take her head-on in a fist-fight, but unfortunately that’s not how diseases pick their fights.
Battling cancer is terrifying, excruciatingly painful, and extremely expensive. Nobody should have to fight all alone. While Shawn finds her life abundant with love from her friends and family, please help us support her.
You can extend your support in various other ways along with us. For more information and an intimate look into Shawn’s world , her friends, and her on-going battle please visit www.bandofmsfts.com
The darkness in this universe can take away a woman’s health, her sight, and her trust in the healthcare system, but it will never take away her fight, her legacy, or her spirit.
Support her medical fund.
Visit our site.
Learn more.
Please.
Thank you,
Written by: Donna Hranica
Go fund me has asked me to include the following information:
1. Who you are: Shawn Cooper
2. Where you're from: Camp Hill, PA
3. Your relationship to the parties you're raising funds for: Myself and my surgical procedures
4. How the funds will be spent (be specific as possible): the first surgery will entail my left eye, funds to cover the out of pocket expenses where insurance will not cover, and required prescriptions which are also not covered.
5. How you intend to get the funds to those in need: will make withdawal prior to schedule surgery dates.
Organizer
Shawn Cooper
Organizer
Camp Hill, PA