Help Janet Fight Cancer!

Hello friends,

Please help to support our dear friend Janet Tweedie fight Multiple Myeloma Cancer.

This GoFundMe is to help Janet cover the expenses of travelling to Winnipeg for tests twice a week, for repairs and new tires on her vehicle so she can get to and from her treatments safely, and to make the possibility of selling her home by this Fall a reality. 

Janet has been suffering from endometriosis and Chron's disease since she was at least a teenager, but due to continued misdiagnosis, only started treatment about 16 years ago. In her hopefulness and eagerness to return to work (she is an awesome musician as well as a computer nerd … sorry Janet, I just had to add this <smile>), Janet agreed to try a research drug (Remicade) in 2004 for the Chron's; the side effects included leukemia, but if she could make it 10 years post treatment, she would have been in the clear. By 2007, Janet had advanced Chron’s and in critical condition, required emergency surgery.

In December 2009, at an annual checkup (where Janet was hoping to get the all clear to return to some form of part time work) she was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma Cancer. Although her low cancer numbers kept her from needing the bone marrow transplant for nearly 7 years (hooray!), during that time, she’s worked hard to keep the advanced Crohn's under control (it hasn’t been easy), while still trying to find the energy to fix up her home getting it ready to sell … all this in the midst of all the immune suppressant treatments.

The Myeloma bone marrow transplant was scheduled for last winter but had to be called off more than once. The chemo has been destroying Janet’s jaw bone, causing over a year of dental issues and related jaw bone infections, so until infection heals, no transplant.

[To note, Myeloma is a blood cancer of the plasma which unfortunately is stored in your bone marrow, thus also incurable. Thankfully the stem cells that the doctors pulled from Janet over a year ago have infinite shelf life, so she won't have to go through that again.]

After a recent round of tests, due to continued jaw bone infections, the bone marrow transplant has been delayed again as it is not safe to proceed with the continued bone infections. Janet is hoping that she has seen the last of the dentist's chair, and although she has had an 11 month reprieve from chemo, her numbers are on the rise again and more chemo, followed by the transplant is looming.

Janet is again working with the Multiple Myeloma Oncologist at CancerCare, Winnipeg. Last time Janet’s numbers rose, the Oncologist put her on 6 months of weekly chemo treatments and the meds they put her on sadly irritate her Crohn's, but she feels like she has to do what they recommend. Janet will find out more at her next appointment in early August. So, in the meantime, we are also praying there are no more jaw bone issues or infections from this day forward.

Janet’s immediate financial crunch is $4,000, and our overall goal would be to ensure Janet can continue treatments and maintain her home until it sells. And, while The Cancer Society does cover $1,000 per year for which we are thankful, Janet's last set of treatments cost her over $4,000 (two medical appointments per week costs roughly $75 just for gas and parking at appointments).

Over the past 15 years, many friends have been helping Janet, but sadly, one passed away, and others have also had their battles with cancer and lack of employment, etc.  So if you are able, please help us to stretch our wings a little further to help Janet continue her amazing fight and journey through the transplant and beyond!

If you are able, please help our dear friend before she starts another 6-9 months of chemo and so that she can sell her home and downsize and have peace of mind before heading in for the bone marrow transplant.

If you prefer to send your donation directly to Janet, please mail cheques payable to Janet Tweedie and post to P.O. Box 232, Grand Marias, MB R0E 0T0.  

We would be so ever grateful for your support. Please spread the word and pass along the link.

Thank you so very much for your generosity, love and support!

Kim (nee Carswell)