Support for Shilo

My name is Sarah and I've been best friends with Shilo since our Sophomore year of high school. Shilo has been going through some hellacious times the last few months and really needs our support more now than ever.

Back in May, just shortly after the two-year anniversary of her husband, Jody's, passing from cancer, Shilo was diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer. She asked those closest to her to not share this on social media as she wasn’t ready for the sympathy that would ensue. She couldn't bear to see the sadness in people's eyes daily when they looked at her or their kids and thought 'first, their dad and now their mom".

Rewind to April of this year, Shilo could feel something growing in her abdomen area and went to the doctor numerous times. Eventually, they started doing scans and they found that she had some kind of mass in her stomach. They believe that it is benign but at the same time they found stage 3 cervical cancer. Doctors said that the growth would need to be surgically removed, but that the cancer was the more pressing issue and she would need to start treatment right away. In July, she started the first of six rounds of chemotherapy, 30 daily radiations, and would be adding five internal brachytherapy radiations towards the end.

Shilo was determined to work through treatment as she had just started her job and did not want to lose her medical benefits. Fast forward partway through the chemo and the radiation, she had to reduce her hours but was still trying to work to keep her benefits. About two weeks ago, she had to completely stop working due to not only the physical exhaustion and sickness of chemo and radiation but the mass in her abdomen has grown very quickly and is now pushing on her diaphragm and creating breathing and GI problems. She is still undergoing brachytherapy (internal type radiation). She saw the surgical oncologist two weeks ago and again this week. The original plan was to let her heal for a month or two after all treatments so that she could build up her immunity and her energy and then go in and take the mass out. That is no longer the plan. Two days after her last brachytherapy radiation, they will go in and take the mass out. It is growing too fast and is now the size of a watermelon pushing on everything creating complications. The original hope was for it to come out laparoscopically but that is no longer the case. The doctor said it will probably be a vertical cut because he absolutely does not want this to burst while taking it out. A vertical cut means a more intense recovery on top of a very intense recovery already because her body has not had time to heal from chemo or radiation. The doctor says to plan on six additional weeks of no work - which is why I'm starting this gofundme.

I've set this fundraiser to not only help with household bills but also to help with her with the $7,500 deductible which has already left her with quite a few medical bills. While Shilo will qualify for short-term disability, it also will put her on the hook for the full premium of her medical insurance resulting in very little income.

If you can find it in your heart to donate, every dollar counts. And every share helps too!

On behalf of our family and friends, thank you!