Support Tiffaney's Medical Journey

Hear my mom's story here:

https://youtu.be/4EM-LiSKl_g?si=bRrv-EunFxEsnokEhttps://youtu.be/4EM-LiSKl_g?si=bRrv-EunFxEsnokE

Hi, my name is Logan Faust. I am from Charleston, S.C., and live with my amazing parents and younger brother. I am a junior in college and my brother is a freshman in high school. Since November 2021, my mom (Tiffaney) has been battling aggressive breast cancer. It initially started as stage 3 in her left breast but progressed to stage 4 when it spread to the lymph nodes in her left arm. During the spring of 2022, she went through surgery to remove the tumor from her left breast and a few lymph nodes in her arm that were affected by the cancer. She then went through many rounds of chemo and radiation, which took a toll on her body. She went into remission for a few months.

In October 2022, my grandmother passed away and left a big hole in my family. After her death, my mom started experiencing extreme migraines around late December 2022 that we thought were due to the stress. It started to cause vertigo and more pain. She then decided to go to the hospital and after multiple scans, doctors found my mom had brain swelling caused by a malignant tumor in the right frontal lobe of her brain. It was determined that this was caused by the breast cancer that chemo and radiation had missed and traveled through the lymphatic system or bloodstream.

Just a few days into January 2023, my mom underwent extensive brain surgery to remove the mass and relieve pressure. The surgery went well but took months to recover and continued to go through different kinds of grueling chemo and radiation that directly targeted the specific spots in the brain. Scans and doctor visits went well for a few months. During a follow up scan done in November 2023 showed the cancer reappeared in the dura (thin covering) of the brain, frontal lobe, cerebellum, and spinal fluid. Doctors said the only option was radiation unless there were changes. There were positive changes with the radiation, but in December 2023, my mom started experiencing severe nausea, vomiting, vertigo, more neuropathy, and back pain. This made it very difficult to walk and ended up falling multiple times causing an ankle sprain. More scans showed the cancer came back even more aggressive and circulated into the spinal fluid of her lower back causing excruciating pain. An MRI showed her breast cancer turned into leptomeningeal disease, which is not curable and only 5% of patients with specific cancers get it. It progressed to a point where it affected everything. Doctors then told our family that there were no other options available, that she would be sent home, and that hospice would be helping to keep her comfortable. There is no timeframe for how long until the disease takes over. As of January 2024, my mom still has severe pain and must be on constant pain meds. She can no longer work, drive, walk, talk or feel most of her body, has no tastebuds, can’t use the restroom, and hardly eats/drinks. We have a hospital bed in our living room as it is the only option for her to sleep.

My mom is a wonderful person who has always put others before herself. She is family-oriented and is one of the greatest people I know. She does not deserve the horrible pain she is in. She and I volunteered for years at Pet Helpers. My mom eventually started working at Pet Helpers full-time and continued to work there for almost 10+ years as a manager. She loves her job and has become a voice for so many animals over the years who need help. The connection she makes with people and animals is amazing and truly shows how much she cares.

I am fundraising because I love my mom and my family more than anything in the world. Even though fundraising will not cure the horrible disease, the money will help us tremendously! The main portion will benefit a charity that helps find a cure for breast cancer/leptomeningeal disease and Pet Helpers Adoption Center (non-profit).

All the emotional pain is indescribable, but luckily our family has had many caring people who are so supportive, reach out, and go out of their way to show us love during this time. Donating or any help means the world to me and my family during this hardship. The unknown is scary, but creating this gives me some peace of mind knowing I did what I could even if I cannot take the disease away. We appreciate any amount that is donated and if you cannot donate anything then please PRAY. From the bottom of my heart and my family's thank you.

Logan Faust and family