Coco's Life-Saving Cancer Meds

7 years ago, my mother, Colette (or as everyone close to her calls her, Coco) underwent a double mastectomy, chemo and radiotherapy to combat two aggressive cancers that had settled in each of her breasts and in her lymph nodes. She kept a smile on her face and fought like a champ, even returning to do the Week-End Walk for Feminine Cancers, this time finishing in the survivors' line-up. 

3 years ago, as I was starting to plan her five-year party, Mom went back to the hospital and this time it was to remove her appendix, her uterus, her ovaries and some of her abdominal wall, as these were all riddled with cancer. It took a few months to heal and, eventually, Coco went back to working at l'Hôpital Hotel Dieu, where she loves her job as an administrative assistant. 

Last month, we received the news that a new tumour has begun growing, as it presses into Coco's bladder. We have three treatment options: 1. Free radiotherapy, which may burn holes in her bladder, rectum and kidney, 2. A free operation which will more than likely lead to the loss of her bladder and 3. A life (and bladder) saving medication which costs $2700 AFTER her insurance reimburses $1300. 

I am a single mom who is currently job hunting and, while I could help her in a few months, time is of the essence. My siblings are not in positions to help, either (two of them are still students, themselves, and the other works seasonally). 

We'll all do what we can to hustle and come up with some of this but, in the meantime, I'm putting this out there in the hopes that someone is looking for a cause. I consider myself blessed in this life and I always do everything I can to pay it forward. This will not be an exception to that rule. 

Thanks for stopping by, 

Rosemary