Support Tanya's Cancer Fight
Donation protected
In November 2019, Tanya Hunks, Canadian Olympic swimmer and Canadian National record holder, was diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma in Situ, High.
Tanya underwent surgery in January 2020, where her doctors found the cancer had spread from her milk ducts into her surrounding breast tissue and lymph nodes and she was diagnosed with Stage 3, HER2 Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma breast cancer. Weeks later, Tanya started a heavy treatment of chemotherapy, followed by radiation. She also began targeted therapy treatments and is currently waiting to complete two more surgeries. Over the next 5 years, Tanya will need to complete a regime of a daily oral medication along with an injection every 3 months at the Cancer Agency. This will give her the best possible chance to beat this and to prevent the cancer from returning.
While admittedly the pandemic has been a struggle for all of us, it is extremely hard for those with cancer, undergoing treatment or recovering as it has added an extra layer of stress and uncertainty. Tanya’s immune system is compromised due to her treatments which means that contracting COVID is much easier and the effects more complicated and dangerous. Tanya now lives with limited or no contact with anyone to keep herself safe. If she catches COVID, not only is her body so rundown she may not be able to fight it, but also it could comprise the treatments needed to combat this type of cancer!
Tanya’s family lives in Ontario and they have not been able to fly to visit her or vice versa due to the pandemic, as the risks of transmission or infection are far too great. For someone as close to her family as Tanya is, this has been devastating. COVID has also meant many of the resources critical to Tanya’s emotional and physical recovery could not continue. These resources provided by the BC Cancer Agency and Society included: rides to treatments and appointments, group counselling, and other support activities.
Many aspects of treatment and recovery are not covered by the government. These include fertility options for women, medications needed to help nausea and pain from chemotherapy, and other prescription medications needed to make the effects of treatments more manageable. Physiotherapy was also recommended as an essential part of her care for post-surgery recovery and is also not covered by the government. These are all extremely expensive and without money to pay for medical and physical support, some cancer patients, including Tanya, must go without because they can’t afford them (or go into debt), which means recovery time takes longer and is more difficult to manage.
Tanya is someone who prides herself on hard work, being able to take care of herself and is committed to success by achieving personal goals; however, with all these obstacles, Tanya is unable to bring in a personal source of income. She is struggling to pay for all these treatments, therapies, medications as well as rent, food, and utility bills. Financially Tanya needs support as she has exhausted her personal saving, and she needs funds to help with the unexpected financial burden that affects those with cancer.
Tanya is an incredibly strong, independent, resilient and caring woman. She would do anything for the people she loves, and she would much rather be advocating for anyone else but herself. Sometimes the strong are not strong enough to ask for help when they really need it. So, we are asking for her: Tanya really needs help and support now.
If you can help Tanya, she would be forever thankful and blown away. Every little bit helps to take a huge stress off her so she can focus on her ongoing treatments. If you are unable to help and/or know someone who can please feel free to share and pass this along.
Thank you all for your ongoing love and support.
Tanya underwent surgery in January 2020, where her doctors found the cancer had spread from her milk ducts into her surrounding breast tissue and lymph nodes and she was diagnosed with Stage 3, HER2 Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma breast cancer. Weeks later, Tanya started a heavy treatment of chemotherapy, followed by radiation. She also began targeted therapy treatments and is currently waiting to complete two more surgeries. Over the next 5 years, Tanya will need to complete a regime of a daily oral medication along with an injection every 3 months at the Cancer Agency. This will give her the best possible chance to beat this and to prevent the cancer from returning.
While admittedly the pandemic has been a struggle for all of us, it is extremely hard for those with cancer, undergoing treatment or recovering as it has added an extra layer of stress and uncertainty. Tanya’s immune system is compromised due to her treatments which means that contracting COVID is much easier and the effects more complicated and dangerous. Tanya now lives with limited or no contact with anyone to keep herself safe. If she catches COVID, not only is her body so rundown she may not be able to fight it, but also it could comprise the treatments needed to combat this type of cancer!
Tanya’s family lives in Ontario and they have not been able to fly to visit her or vice versa due to the pandemic, as the risks of transmission or infection are far too great. For someone as close to her family as Tanya is, this has been devastating. COVID has also meant many of the resources critical to Tanya’s emotional and physical recovery could not continue. These resources provided by the BC Cancer Agency and Society included: rides to treatments and appointments, group counselling, and other support activities.
Many aspects of treatment and recovery are not covered by the government. These include fertility options for women, medications needed to help nausea and pain from chemotherapy, and other prescription medications needed to make the effects of treatments more manageable. Physiotherapy was also recommended as an essential part of her care for post-surgery recovery and is also not covered by the government. These are all extremely expensive and without money to pay for medical and physical support, some cancer patients, including Tanya, must go without because they can’t afford them (or go into debt), which means recovery time takes longer and is more difficult to manage.
Tanya is someone who prides herself on hard work, being able to take care of herself and is committed to success by achieving personal goals; however, with all these obstacles, Tanya is unable to bring in a personal source of income. She is struggling to pay for all these treatments, therapies, medications as well as rent, food, and utility bills. Financially Tanya needs support as she has exhausted her personal saving, and she needs funds to help with the unexpected financial burden that affects those with cancer.
Tanya is an incredibly strong, independent, resilient and caring woman. She would do anything for the people she loves, and she would much rather be advocating for anyone else but herself. Sometimes the strong are not strong enough to ask for help when they really need it. So, we are asking for her: Tanya really needs help and support now.
If you can help Tanya, she would be forever thankful and blown away. Every little bit helps to take a huge stress off her so she can focus on her ongoing treatments. If you are unable to help and/or know someone who can please feel free to share and pass this along.
Thank you all for your ongoing love and support.
Organizer and beneficiary
Jaclyn Kilkenny
Organizer
Cowichan Bay, BC
Tanya Hunks
Beneficiary