Help Aline heal challenging cancer

At the age of 39, Aline has been given a critical cancer diagnosis. This cancer has spread across many places in her body, especially in the peritoneum which is a very challenging area to treat. The cancer is affecting vital organs such as the pancreas, liver and stomach. In February 2022, the doctors stopped the treatment she was on and sent her to Palliative Care not giving her any other option.

 

Being in a situation like this is very challenging psychologically but also financially, putting her and her family in a very delicate situation. For the last 18 months, living expenses, doctors, psychologists, drugs, alternative therapies… have already cost Aline AU$ 80.000. At the same time, Aline is researching clinics in Mexico that have effective treatments for this kind of cancer that cost more than US$ 60.000 (≈AU$ 80.800) plus travelling costs and accommodation. This amount is for 3 weeks of treatment, which she may need to repeat several times.

 

With all the gratitude in our hearts, we are asking for your contribution to help Aline to access a clinic in Mexico as soon as possible before she gets too ill to travel. In this way, Aline can channel her energy into healing herself and not be worried about financial security.

 

ABOUT ALINE

Aline is 39 years old. She has lived in the Northern Beaches (Sydney, Australia) for the last 10 years, becoming part of this beautiful community. She is a young and light soul full of energy and positivity. Early childhood teacher, vegan chocolate small business owner, kirtan and yoga lover, as well as passionate for meditation and spirituality. She loves dancing, baking and hugging trees. Aline is an amazing human being - very loved by everyone who crosses paths with her (she is the light at the party).

 

Aline always had a healthy life and made good choices for herself: no drinking, no drugs, eating organic produce, forgiving and loving life. It was a big shock when we found out that cancer had decided to take a turn on her this time. For the last year and a half, she has been showing us every day how strong she is - the way that she is dealing with the disease is out of any rational understanding. If you have met her on the street, you would never know that she is going through all of this, as her positivity and lightness are contagious. 

 

HOW EVERYTHING STARTED

In August 2020, Aline had excruciating pain in her tummy and went to the Emergency. For two weeks, the doctors kept telling her she was only constipated. After a colonoscopy, she was rushed to an emergency surgery where they removed 65% of her large intestine and a 5cm tumour. That day Aline was diagnosed with Colon Cancer Stage IIIB.

 

Aline went through two rounds of chemotherapy, but the treatment almost killed her. She had many side effects such as fatigue, vomiting, diarrhoea, dizziness, shaking, shivers, and peripheral neuropathy causing her numbness, tingling and pain in the hands and feet. It was impossible to do normal things such as opening a door, holding cutlery, turning on the lights, etc. She needed full attention 24/7 and she lost 10kg (reaching 38kg at that time) putting her in a very delicate state. She had to be hospitalised for a few weeks and chemotherapy stopped. 

 

In May 2021, she was diagnosed with metastasis in the peritoneum and she was then accepted into an immunotherapy trial. For the following 7 months, she had mixed responses - meaning that a few tumours kept growing while others decreased in size. She had to do a few radiation sessions at that time which left her sick for weeks and made her lose more weight.

 

In February 2022, after another PET scan, the doctors realised that cancer had spread to different organs (pancreas, stomach and liver). They also saw a lot of tumours in the peritoneum - a really hard part of the body to treat. The situation was very complicated so her oncologist decided to stop immunotherapy and sent her to Palliative Care saying that there was nothing else they could do for her case.

 

During the whole journey, Aline has been combining alternative therapies with traditional medicine. She has always believed in the power of natural therapies, seeing a lot of different doctors and listening to different opinions to find a better treatment for herself. Aline’s life routine can be very overwhelming with 8-10 appointments a week, but she keeps having faith and believing in her recovery.

WHAT'S NEXT?

After talking to doctors in Australia, Brazil, Spain, and Mexico, we found out that there are a few treatment options, but all of them overseas. Mexico offers more efficient treatments to fight cancer in a less toxic way. The average cost of treatments is around 60.000 US$ (≈AU$ 80.800) for 3 weeks of treatment plus the extra travelling costs (flights, accommodation, food and visas).
If the treatment works, there is also the potential need of going to Mexico a few times in the future.

 

While we are preparing to go to Mexico, Aline has managed to get the last treatment option here in Australia called- Cetuximab - an anti-cancer ("anti-neoplastic") targeted therapy. This is only a temporary treatment that could prolong Aline’s life for a little. Even though this treatment will not cure cancer, it might give her a bit more time to find the right treatment and go to Mexico before she gets too sick to travel.

 

Thank you so much to everyone who has been supporting Aline through this time. You have given her great courage and faith.

 

Much love and gratitude,

 

Aline, Family and friends.