Hi friends,

My name is Maddy, and my good friend Shelby whom I have known for over a decade now, recently received a life changing diagnosis of a rare blood cancer called acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) at the young age of only 22 years old.

Acute promyelocytic leukemia is a rare form of acute myeloid leukemia. It happens when a genetic mutation creates abnormal white blood cells that multiply uncontrollably in the bone marrow. You may also hear it be called APL leukemia or M3-leukemia.

APL is a serious, life threatening condition with symptoms including severe internal and external bleeding.

Luckily, APL is a highly curable cancer especially when it is caught as soon as it was in Shelby’s case. Treatments for APL is usually a combination of differentiation agents, chemotherapy and targeted therapy. While everyone is different, studies have shown that between 90% and 95% of APL cases go into remission.

Unfortunately still, this will be an indefinite, lengthy, period of time where she will be required to remain in Vancouver for her treatments. We are from Victoria BC, on Vancouver Island, and due to the aggressive nature of this cancer, my friend was helicoptered from the Royal Jubilee Hospital to the Vancouver Cancer Agency.

She will be unable to work during this time, and at the moment doctors are planning for about 6 months of treatment.

Due to the prognosis, length of treatment, and how far the treatments are from home, there is an uncertainty of how bills and other expenses will be paid during this time.

Myself and other close friends of Shelby’s have decided to arrange a GoFundMe, in which all contributions will be used for her rent, car payments, pet supplies and board, any travel or medical expenses not covered by insurance, hotel or ferry expenses for when she will have to return to Vancouver for follow ups with her oncologist, meals and to cover loss of wages due to the inability to work. With Victoria being such a high cost of living area, we are also hoping to build a bit of a “cushion” of funds she can fall back on, so she will have time to recover and rest after her treatments and not have to worry financially.

This fundraiser is organized by myself, Maddy Jonassen, and Zoe Canfield, both of us being long-term friends of Shelby. Every donation and/or share means so much. Thank you so much for your support and consideration during this difficult time.