Help Tara Beat Cancer

Tara is a coworker at Food Bank of East Alabama. In July Tara had to go to the ER because she was having a hard time breathing.  Many hours later lung cancer was suspected and she was sent for more testing.  The next week that diagnosis was confirmed.  Tara has a very fast growing aggressive type of cancer--extensive mediastynum small cell carcinoma and it has already started to spread. 

Tara went for an emergency visit with an oncology radiologist and he said the tumor was cutting off blood flow to the vena cava and had collapsed part of her esophagus.  Radiation was started to shrink the tumor to give her some relief.  After a week of radiation treatments the tumor has started to shrink but not as much as the doctor had hoped.  She has also had a brain MRI since this type of cancer commonly spreads to the brain; thankfully the MRI showed that the cancer has not spread to the brain at this time.  A PET scan showed a mass on her hip which has been biopsied but she hasn't gotten those results yet.  She will start chemo on August 28th after her port is placed. Chemo will be a six cycle course with each cycle lasting three weeks.   She will continue radiation five days a week throughout chemo. The oncologist says small cell carcinoma is the fastest growing most aggressive cancer so it must be fought aggressively.

Fighting cancer is expensive even if you have insurance. Any funds raised will help with Tara's medical costs and the day-to-day expenses of caring for her family's needs allowing Tara to focus on beating cancer.