Help Jodi Fight Cancer

Jodi’s Story

Our friend and neighbor, Jodi Bachand, needs your help, love and support. She was happily enjoying life when her train was derailed in October 2020. While twists and turns out of our control sometimes happen in life, we are hopeful that our communities will come together to show Jodi the love, care and compassion she so needs right now.

Over the past 20 months, Jodi was diagnosed and treated for Stage IV Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors, or GIST. She has undergone two major surgeries, as well as several hospitalizations due to complications. The first surgery was to remove the massive 8-inch tumor from her stomach. She also lost about 50% of her stomach, her entire spleen, and about 30% of her left diaphragm. After she healed and recovered, she had a second surgery to remove a 4-inch tumor and 40% of her liver, along with her entire gallbladder. While Jodi is currently without evidence of disease, she has been told that the tumor(s) will return, and additional surgeries, if possible depending on where the tumor(s) grow, will most likely be necessary. Jodi continues to take chemotherapy daily and will for the remainder of her life.

Through no fault of her own, Jodi lost her job while out on disability, which makes it even more difficult to cover the costs of medical and travel expenses. Jodi is currently being treated at Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA, as they have a team specialized in GIST cancer. She travels 4 times a year to Dana Farber for treatments, scans and meetings with her oncologist.

While she would never ask for help, Jodi is in need of money to help cover the costs associated with each trip to Dana Farber, which include lodging, gas, food, and other unexpected expenses. It will also help offset certain medical expenses not covered by insurance. It is our hope to raise enough money to help Jodi and Steven with the financial burden they are experiencing while living with cancer so that all they have to do is worry about managing Jodi’s horrible side effects and making sure she has a good quality of life. Gaining some financial assistance after receiving news of this awful disease, as well as losing her job, will continue to help Jodi believe in the kind and compassionate communities surrounding her and that we can all make a difference in her life.

If you are able to donate, please help alleviate the stress and anxiety associated with the financial burdens of fighting cancer. All proceeds will go directly to Jodi and Steven.