Sometimes the strongest people are the last ones to ask for help even when they need it the most. So here I am, asking for a couple of friends.

SOME OF YOU DON'T LIKE TO READ MUCH SO HERE'S THE SHORT VERSION:

Two parents have two daughters. These daughters grow up to be incredible women and mothers themselves. But then life throws them curve balls and in the worst year ever to need any type of medical attention (2020); they both get cancer. Not just any cancer. Stage 4 cancer. Imagine how the parents feel. Imagine how the kids feel. And now imagine how these two strong women choose to fight and remain hopeful and positive, but constantly say they’re “ok” and don’t ask for help. So yeah…HELP!

NOW IF YOU DON'T MIND THE READING, HERE'S THE RUNDOWN:

Doris and Ruth are sisters. No other siblings. Just them. Raised by great parents who raised them to be great mothers themselves. Both have so much to live for as they have young children they need to raise and the second half of their lives ahead of them.

However, as 2020 was hard on a lot of us, it was especially hard for these sisters. Both were diagnosed with stage 4 cancers. As you can imagine, getting medical attention was a challenge because of the pandemic.

Ruth was first diagnosed with stage 2b breast cancer in 2017 where she received treatment and was able to fight it off. However, it came back in May 2020 in a more aggressive form as metastatic breast cancer (invasive ductal carcinoma, triple positive-ER/PR/HER2). Otherwise known as stage 4 breast cancer. At that point, she found out it spread to her lungs, breast, lymph nodes (belly, armpits, neck, clavicle), bones, skull, sternum, spine, rib, rain and chest muscle. She is currently on her second line of treatment.

Doris, felt a different kind of pain just a couple months later. She felt stomach pain and went to the doctor who assumed it was acid reflux and sent her home. Eventually, she couldn’t stand the pain and waited outside of the hospital for hours in the middle of the night due to the pandemic and the number of patients that needed to be seen. In September, she was diagnosed with stage 4 small intestinal cancer that has spread to her lung, stomach and belly lining. She has undergone a total of 3 surgeries. One to clear the blockage and also cut a portion of her small intestine and clear the stomach lining. Second was to do a bypass on her small intestine. Third one was to apply chemo directly to her intestine but couldn’t go through once she was opened due to the spread. She is currently on one chemo regimen to relieve the blockage. She has a g-tube drain and also on TPN as she still couldn’t eat due to the blockage in her small intestine as well as pain from her surgery.

Currently, Doris has been feeling excessive amounts of pain in her stomach and has been weak. She has been in and out of the hospital but has every will to stay positive and wants to fight. Ruth, who is fighting her own battle drives hours each way to Doris to provide moral support and any help Doris and their parents need as Doris loses strength. These two think about others before they think of themselves.

They both have had to take time off work, take care of health insurance and medical issues while trying to be there for their families AND each other. Doris feels the need to return to work so she can continue to have health coverage. Ruth has taken out her savings to pay for medical expenses and everyday living. Medical bills are piling up and finances are being stretched. I feel like finances should be the last thing they worry about. Any donations given will be used to help pay for medical expenses, medication, health insurance, bills and any other expenses incurred to help the sisters regain their health and recovery.

As you can imagine, the battle these sisters have against them is a difficult one. Yet, I have never seen anyone so positive and ready to fight to be around for their families. They have hope they can fight this, so we are doing what we can to help them fight. They are strong. So strong, the thought of asking for help doesn’t come naturally. Speaking for them, their family and their road to winning this battle, here I am; as a friend and as a human being, to humbly ask for any help you can give.

Sincerely,

Caroline