Stephanie Spiak's Cylce of Strength

Hi, Justine here (Stephanie's sister). Thank you for being a part of my sister's journey. On March 8th, she was diagnosed with anal cancer, which sounds forbidden or unmentionable. Perhaps that is why anal cancer is the 2nd leading cause of death among cancers. This silent killer was discovered during her first colonoscopy. If it weren't for these preventative measures, the proposed outcome would be different. This is the part of the story that I urge you to please be a participant in your routine check-ups; they can literally save your life.

When Stephanie found out she had a mass, her world flipped upside-down. Her initial thoughts were what would happen to her four children and how much time she would have left? She dipped into a dark place just long enough to process this life-changing information. The conversations in the beginning were difficult and scary, but she pulled out of the darkness and has lived every day since in the light. As a tri-athlete, she knew she had to change her mindset and approach this challenge like many she has faced in her lifetime. It would take support, strength, dedication and encouragement. She knew it would be challenging, painful, grueling, and exhausting but in the end, it would be worth it. It was as if she had trained for this her whole life.

May 16th, last radiation day and a prayer away from a favorable outcome. She will go in for routine scans every three months for years to come. Stephanie is beyond appreciative of the full range of support she has received over the last two months. She has used the motto "Together We Are Stronger" repeatedly. It has pushed her to reach higher and to focus on her strength and determination to fight this incredible battle. Every day she approaches the fight with a smile and a winning attitude. Every day she reflects on her tribe of people lifting her to those new heights and every day that was classified as a good day, she has been thankful because it meant it was one less bad day to go. Friends, you've helped her through this emotional and physical battle. If you are able to join us in assisting with the financial burden, that would be incredible, it would be one less battle she needs to worry about.

The medical bills are starting to roll in. Here is an idea of what she is facing financially:

The hope is to reach $20,000 to be able to pay her high deductible, loss of income, unforseen out-of-pocket expenses and her future scans.

Again, thank you for being on this journey with her, every bit matters!

#TogetherWeAreStronger