Vanessa needs help to continue with her treatment for cancer

Hi, Kristel here. I am raising funds for my daughter Vanessa's cancer treatment. In December, Vanessa found lumps in her breast. She had a mammogram and found that there were several suspicious lumps which led the doctor reviewing the mammogram to refer her immediately to an oncologist who ordered several scans. They found that the lumps were not only in her breast but in her lymph nodes as well. A biopsy was performed confirming that she had breast cancer that appeared also to be in her lymph nodes.

On further scanning, there were additional areas of concern and she was referred to a gynecologic oncologist who through testing identified a potential additional cancer. She was scheduled for a biopsy of the pelvic area and during that procedure the surgeon located areas that led her to perform a hysterectomy immediately. On examination of the areas detected, they came to see that the ovarian cancer was not related to the breast cancer but was in fact a completely separate cancer.

Dealing with two primary cancers, Vanessa was immediately scheduled for the normal medical response which was chemotherapy. She had the first round of chemotherapy barely a month after her surgery. All was well for a couple of days but then she developed an extremely strong and painful response to the double dose of chemo. In addition to the pain, she began hemorrhaging profusely. She underwent a second surgery and a small area of suturing was repaired. After 9 days in the hospital, trying to regulate the pain and identify the cause of the hemorrhaging, she was released with a new pain management team and no conclusive idea of why the hemorrhaging had begun.

Shortly after her hysterectomy, a PET scan was performed. It originally had been denied for over a month by her insurance. The PET scan revealed a spot on her liver which was biopsied the day after her chemotherapy began. It proved to be cancer, originating from her breast cancer.

She was in process of being scheduled for additional chemotherapy when the DNA reports from the hysterectomy came back. Those reports indicated that the ovarian cancer had begun in the kidneys throwing both her hematologist/oncologist and her gynecologist oncologist for a loop. Conversations with the oncologists indicate that, if in fact, that is so, Vanessa may be on chemotherapy weekly for life.

Obviously, this is untenable for her. We have prayed and researched and found an alternative therapy which supports many of the favorable alternatives that we have seen. We want Vanessa to be with us much longer than we expect that the chemotherapy can provide. We also want her to have a quality of life that allows her to enjoy time with her family. And God willing, that the therapies will push the cancers into remission.

She is currently living in Phoenix with Scott, her partner of 8 years, her daughter Madison and her Mother {me..camping on her doorstep so not to miss one moment}. Also, with her son Max, his wife Brianna and their four little boys living a short 10 minute drive away.

The alternative treatment is NOT covered by insurance so we are raising funds in any means possible. We hope that you, as family and close friends will find a way to contribute in any way that you can, small or large. We are so thankful for anything provided. At the very least, send your prayers for Vanessa. We love you all.