Support Rowan's Cure for LMS!

After discovering a large lump in her abdomen, active, full-time, full-on lover of life, mother of two, and community healer, Rowan Farrell, received the difficult diagnosis in January of 2013 of leiomyosarcoma (LMS), a rare and aggressive type of cancer. LMS is a difficult cancer to treat, and Rowan needs tremendous community support now to gain every chance to live a full life with her beloved children who need their amazing mama by their sides. <3

After finding the lump Rowan had surgery to remove the large tumor, which forced her out of work for 9-months so she could focus fully on her recovery.

Later that year additional symptoms emerged as a result of the original abdominal surgery. In February of 2014 Rowan had to undergo a second surgery to repair an incisional hernia, which again kept her out of work until mid-March.

She remained on healing protocols with a positive outlook, however challenging news came in June the following year (2015) that the cancer had metastasized with tumors that developed on Rowan's liver and lungs. Because LMS treatment is challenging and evidence shows that it does not respond to most chemotherapy options, and the amount of radiation that would be necessary to address the spreading tumors would itself be perilous, thus Rowan had no choice but to take a medical sabbatical from work to seek other therapies not available in North Carolina, her area of residence.

Rowan's state of health was greatly diminished moving into July of 2015, and this powerhouse mama was humbled to need wheelchair assistance for simple mobility. She commenced  3 weeks of intensive treatment with Dr. Gilbert Alvarez at Stella Maris Clinic in Mexico, a treatment center that offers the same modalities as the best cancer centers in Europe, but closer to home and at a fraction of the cost. Rowan found her energy levels and mobility much improved by the end of her stay at Stella Maris. She returned home without medical assistance, despite relying on wheelchair assistance on her way to the clinic. 

Then more difficult news emerged. Blue Cross/Blue Shield dropped all coverage of Rowan's medical bills due to a "catastrophic gap in coverage nationwide" according to the N.C. Department of Insurance Regulation. Legal redress regarding this issue remains pending.

Rowan continued intensive, home treatment protocol per Dr. Alvarez for the remainder of the year, and gradually returned to work in December of 2016. In the busy days caring for two active children, ages 8 and 17, helping others return to wellness in her own healing practice, and continuing her self-care with the goal of remission in mind, life went on, and Rowan's and her family's optimism grew.

The family's positive outlook was suddenly bruised when Rowan sought further diagnostic updates at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas in June of 2016. There the Sarcoma Specialists confirmed metastasis had advanced in Rowan's liver, lungs, and abdominal cavity. The physicians at the center did not provide hope or strategy for Rowan, simply directing her to "keep doing what has been working," and to increase intensive monitoring to every two months.

As any loving mother and lover of life would be, Rowan is determined to do all she can to regain her maximum level of health despite facing LMS. Her current goal is to live a happy, high quality life for as long as possible, and possibly longer. :) She visions at least another 10 years of quality living for herself, so she can mother both of her children into adulthood and live out more of her own goals and dreams. 



Rowan's plan now is to engage head-on with a variety of modalities across multiple traditions that show the most evidence of prolonging life. This plan includes an immediate return to Stella Maris Cancer Center, August 6th to 28th, with a focus to strengthen immune system and stall tumor growth. Rowan plans to continue further treatment as soon as possible at Sloan Kettering Sarcoma Center in New York, which will incorporate new treatments for LMS, such asYondelis, Radioablation, and Immunotherapy. With the support of her health care providers, Rowan will be urgently continuing to study and pursue additional treatment options. 

This journey for Rowan and her family has been so deeply difficult. Rowan's energy and comfort levels have been consistently impacted since her original diagnosis of LMS in 2013. Having lost work and incurred the increased expenses of travel for cancer treatment and extensive supplies for home treatment protocol in addition to the unethical insurance failures, plus the normal costs of everyday life with a family, Rowan and her family are in significant need of financial support from the community. A host of friends have come together to create this fundraising page because we KNOW theworld is a better place with Rowan in it, and we believe that the loving, generous community can find ways to gift and support Rowan and her kids in their time of need, the same way Rowan has selflessly and generously served others in many capacities in her life. Please share this story and offer support in via donation to the fundraiser and by donating generously to receive one of Rowan's amazing art prints! (Seriously, do not miss this spectacular, life-changing, visionary artwork!)

Rowan's current expenses include:

Treatment at Stella Maris Clinic for three weeks = $15,000

Thousands of dollars in past medical bills

$200-300 per week in cancer treatment supplies

Daily living expenses for family of three while Rowan is out of work


More about Rowan...


Rowan Farrell is a devoted mother and beloved community member adored for her ever present support and caring for friends and family. Rowan is a deeply skilled healer, bringing comfort and relief to many through her work in CranioSacral,
Somatic Emotional & other pain relieving  therapies, her practice delving ever deeper through ancient energetic healing modalities. Also a dedicated artist, Rowan's shamanically inspired paintings are celebrated for their ability to bring the viewer unexpectedly in touch with the sacred forces of the natural world and humanity's profound interconnectedness with all that surrounds us, seen and unseen.

Those who love her cherish Rowan as a rare gem of a person -- humble, playful, reverent, and real while carrying extraordinary gifts and blessings into the world. Rowan's love and support of us has carried us far, our greatest prayer is that our love for her will lift her, heal her, and bring ease to the great work in which she is engaged. Please join us in that prayer and offer your support as generously as you can. Many thanks.


Donate between $250 - $600 and receive a Museum Quality Print of one of Rowan's Paintings!


She Who Knows


Shakti


Sacred Wind, Shared Breath


Curandera