Susan Goffard's Medical Fund
Donation protected
It is my honor to tell my dear friend Susan Goffard's story of the last year. For those of you who don't know, in January 2016 Sue was diagnosed with stage 4 Cholangiocarcinoma. It has spread to her liver and other areas of her body.
This began with six months of aggressive chemotherapy at Compass Oncology in Portland. After not seeing a significant improvement Sue sought out alternatives. She participated in a clinical trial in Seattle. She traveled weekly up and back more than a dozen times. The clinical trial was starting to show some success when she encountered another setback. Her Doctor agonized over her risks and could not recommend continuing with Sue suffering from major internal bleeding. This devastating news came after she fell ill on a vacation in Hawaii in October with her husband Fred and a handful of her closest lifelong friends. She was grateful to have them so near.
Most recently Sue was admitted to Providence in Portland with extremely low hemoglobin levels and low blood pressure. Her internal bleeding caused her to vomit blood. She was in the hospital six days, two of which were in ICU. This week she endured a second paracentesis to relieve liters of fluid in her abdomen and an endoscopy to shed some light on the bleeding.
Even through all of the chemotherapy, Seattle trips, blood transfusions, ambulance rides, biopsies, hundreds of needle pokes and doctor visits she is always reminding me how grateful she is. She is grateful to have health insurance through Mario's. She is grateful for the support of her army of angels. (Even while typing this she is insisting I emphasize her overwhelming gratitude for all of her friends and family.) However, her family is in need of our help.
Sue's family is giving everything they have in resources to hold her up. As you might imagine, these many procedures and foreseeable future expenses are having a crushing effect on them. My wish is that funds raised here will make Sue's life as comfortable and worry-free as possible during this difficult time. All money will go directly to her and her family.
Many hands make for light work. With love and gratitude.
This began with six months of aggressive chemotherapy at Compass Oncology in Portland. After not seeing a significant improvement Sue sought out alternatives. She participated in a clinical trial in Seattle. She traveled weekly up and back more than a dozen times. The clinical trial was starting to show some success when she encountered another setback. Her Doctor agonized over her risks and could not recommend continuing with Sue suffering from major internal bleeding. This devastating news came after she fell ill on a vacation in Hawaii in October with her husband Fred and a handful of her closest lifelong friends. She was grateful to have them so near.
Most recently Sue was admitted to Providence in Portland with extremely low hemoglobin levels and low blood pressure. Her internal bleeding caused her to vomit blood. She was in the hospital six days, two of which were in ICU. This week she endured a second paracentesis to relieve liters of fluid in her abdomen and an endoscopy to shed some light on the bleeding.
Even through all of the chemotherapy, Seattle trips, blood transfusions, ambulance rides, biopsies, hundreds of needle pokes and doctor visits she is always reminding me how grateful she is. She is grateful to have health insurance through Mario's. She is grateful for the support of her army of angels. (Even while typing this she is insisting I emphasize her overwhelming gratitude for all of her friends and family.) However, her family is in need of our help.
Sue's family is giving everything they have in resources to hold her up. As you might imagine, these many procedures and foreseeable future expenses are having a crushing effect on them. My wish is that funds raised here will make Sue's life as comfortable and worry-free as possible during this difficult time. All money will go directly to her and her family.
Many hands make for light work. With love and gratitude.
Organizer and beneficiary
Sam Thomas
Organizer
Portland, OR
susan goffard
Beneficiary