I’m creating this GoFundMe to support my Aunt Karen Shroyer, as she navigates a recent diagnosis of stage 4 lung cancer. As she begins treatment, there will be significant medical and day-to-day costs that can add up quickly. This is one way we can all surround her with support and help relieve some of the financial stress so she can focus on her health, her comfort, and the people she loves during this time. Any donation, share, or kind thought means so much.

Below is more information about her diagnosis from Karen herself:

”I am someone who never shares anything about myself, if you want to talk dogs I will post those all day long. I need to take you back to Aug when I ended up in the hospital with a bleeding ulcer. After this was repaired, the CAT scan they did in Aug. showed some narrowing of my bile ducts, so my GI doctor wanted to run a special MRI. So, I got this MRI done in Nov. The results come back, and it shows many spots on my liver they were not there prior and the word on my results the radiologist wrote “worrisome for metastatic disease” Well great, just what someone wants to read. I got a call from my GI the next day about the results, she ordered a liver biopsy which I must wait until Jan 5th for, and the results are not good.

I get the results back on Mychart before the doctors and it shows I have extensive small cell lung cancer. The next day I got a call from oncology and my life now begins to change. Before my first appointment with them I am sent for more CAT scans and an MRI of my brain. CAT shows the cancer is in my left lung, many different areas of the lung, adrenal gland, lymph nodes but thankfully not in the brain. We met with the oncologist on the 13th and were told what I already knew. Treatment options are 1: Do nothing 2: Chemo only 3: Chemo and immunotherapy which could make my colitis worse but better odds at shrinking tumors and giving us a little more time. We are going with option 3 to start, if it gets too bad, I can stop the immunotherapy.

After the appointment, my phone has been ringing off the hook from all the referrals that were set up though oncology or appointments just show up on mychart. I have an education appointment with a nurse about Chemo. I have to get my port put in. I start Chemo on Feb 3rd; I go 3 days in a row every 3 weeks. I have spoken with palliative care (Not hospice) so they can help with symptom control and other support needed. Followed by more CAT scans and MRIs.

So, one thing to all smokers over 50, I can say this as the cancer I have is a smoker’s cancer. If your doctor, ask you about getting the CAT scan of your lungs every year DO IT. I did not schedule mine this past year, would it of made a difference, no one knows, but please get yours.

Thanks for listening, now you know why I only want to talk about dogs!“