Tamara's Recovery: Overcoming Stage 4 Cancer

On June 4th, 2024, I, along with my dad, sat next to my mom in a small consultation room as she received a stage 4 peritoneal cancer diagnosis. As devastating as it was to hear our fears confirmed, the first words out of her mouth were even more heart-wrenching. I will never forget her initial reaction - "Will I still be able to work, otherwise I don't know how I'm going to afford treatment?" This sentiment destroyed me as I sat there taking notes on the next steps for my parents. Her treatment plan included aggressive chemo treatments followed up with intensive surgery.

For those that have never heard of this kind of cancer, peritoneal cancer is a rarer form of cancer that forms in the thin layer of tissue lining the abdomen, as well as organs including the colon and the female reproductive system. By the time this kind of cancer is caught or someone is displaying symptoms, it's in an advanced stage. In my mom's case, her only symptom was she had a stomach ache that randomly appeared one day that she feared was appendicitis.

Fast forward a few weeks after her initial diagnosis, and after a lot of back and forth with insurance, Tamara started her chemo. In total, she underwent 6 hellish treatments that not only took a toll on her physical well-being but her mental well-being as well.

Following the completion of her chemo, Tamara underwent surgery in November. This 8-hour procedure included the removal of her appendix, her reproductive system, and a portion of the peritoneum. Following the removal of these abdominal structures was a HIPEC treatment. This chemo wash was highly effective at eliminating any remaining cancerous cells in her stomach.

Today, Tamara is officially cancer-free but still has a long road of recovery ahead. Due to the impact of chemo, her surgery incision is still open and healing with the assistance of a wound vacuum that is cleaned 3 times per week by a traveling nurse. This healing process will take months, so there is no definitive timeline for when, or if, Tamara will be able to return to work.

Tamara will also begin taking a maintenance chemo pill daily for the rest of her life. This medication is expensive and isn't fully covered by insurance. Funds raised will help Tamara afford this medication and help alleviate the financial burden that has come with this devastating diagnosis and the missed work for her and my dad to get the life-saving treatment for this awful disease.