Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer hit her far too young
Donation protected
In Early December, 2019, 23-year old Sarah was suffering some chest pains, trouble breathing, and some strange bone pain. Almost too sick to wait to go to the doctor, she was able to get to the Emergency Room.
The news quickly went from bad to worse. First, they found multiple blood clots in both lungs, and then several concerning spots on her liver. Admitting her to the hospital to deal with the immediate threat of the bilateral pulmonary embolism, they did more testing through the next few days. The doctors were in and out constantly – blood tests, biopsies, questions, more tests. Friday December 6th, Sarah’s whole life caved in on her when she was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer that has metastasized to the liver. Sarah was told she may only have 8 months to one year to live, and her doctor recommended for her to begin chemotherapy treatment ASAP, which they would hope to successfully extend her life for an additional year. This is not a 23 year old’s cancer. This is a cancer typically found in a 60-80 year olds who have lived a life of excess. There was no genetic, hereditary, or lifestyle cause for this cancer to appear in her young and seemingly healthy body.
Sarah and my younger brother, Tristian, met in high school and began dating at 16 years old- when they began laying the brickwork to spend the rest of their lives together, fulfilling their plan to continue their education and move into careers and become financially secure before starting a family. Tristian now has a career assembling aircraft, while Sarah just graduated from UNCG at the top of her class in Spring 2019 for communication studies, ready to start her next phase in life! Tristian was devastated to learn his best friend and soulmate’s life would be cut short before it even really started. Determined to stay by her side through this, Tristian proposed to Sarah on December 17th- the day before her first treatment. They will be getting married on February 8th, 2020. The extraordinary love that these two share for each other is one of fairy tales.
I have decided to start this GoFundMe to help Sarah and Tristian get through the rocky road they have ahead of them. Sarah is no longer able to work, and Tristian, along with Sarah’s mother, who helps a great deal, have to take time off work to bring Sarah to her treatments and doctor's appointments. I hope this campaign will touch the hearts of those who read about it, and are able to help. If it can help them cover some of the medical and travel expenses that are getting overwhelming, it will free them up to care for her and love her without the burden and fear of being able to continue to provide for her needs.
It’s heartbreaking for me to see the most kind-hearted person I know experience such a horrible thing at such a young age. Despite the overwhelming statistics not really being in her favor, Sarah and Tristian have remained as surprisingly optimistic about the situation as they could possibly be. After being diagnosed and learning this is not a result of lifestyle, they did research on pancreatic cancer and found that the statistics indicate that pancreatic cancer accounts for only about 3% of new cancer cases every year and incidence rates are 25% higher in black people than in white people. Furthermore, 90% of those diagnosed are older than 55 and men are more likely to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer than woman. The probability of people under the age of 50 developing pancreatic cancer is 0.1% and the probability of someone under the age of 50 dying from pancreatic cancer is less than 0.1%, so if the statistics narrowed this down to females under the age of 25, this would bring the probability down by a substantial amount. They feel that these statistics indicate that with her case being a one in so many million since it's so rare for her age, she should actually in fact be considered “lucky”. With all the advances and breakthroughs that doctors are making every day, we feel we are getting one step closer to finding the cure for cancer, and there will eventually be that “first person” who they discover the cure for. We’re hopeful that with your help and Sarah’s unmatched positivity, she will be able to participate in a clinical trial where she becomes that one!
What’s more important to me than the potential financial support from this campaign being successful is that Sarah’s story can get in front of the right people who can help provide both Tristian and Sarah with any helpful information or advice that may lead them to another medicinal breakthrough. Please help make that possible by sharing this with anyone you know that may be able to help!
Thank you for your help!
The news quickly went from bad to worse. First, they found multiple blood clots in both lungs, and then several concerning spots on her liver. Admitting her to the hospital to deal with the immediate threat of the bilateral pulmonary embolism, they did more testing through the next few days. The doctors were in and out constantly – blood tests, biopsies, questions, more tests. Friday December 6th, Sarah’s whole life caved in on her when she was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer that has metastasized to the liver. Sarah was told she may only have 8 months to one year to live, and her doctor recommended for her to begin chemotherapy treatment ASAP, which they would hope to successfully extend her life for an additional year. This is not a 23 year old’s cancer. This is a cancer typically found in a 60-80 year olds who have lived a life of excess. There was no genetic, hereditary, or lifestyle cause for this cancer to appear in her young and seemingly healthy body.
Sarah and my younger brother, Tristian, met in high school and began dating at 16 years old- when they began laying the brickwork to spend the rest of their lives together, fulfilling their plan to continue their education and move into careers and become financially secure before starting a family. Tristian now has a career assembling aircraft, while Sarah just graduated from UNCG at the top of her class in Spring 2019 for communication studies, ready to start her next phase in life! Tristian was devastated to learn his best friend and soulmate’s life would be cut short before it even really started. Determined to stay by her side through this, Tristian proposed to Sarah on December 17th- the day before her first treatment. They will be getting married on February 8th, 2020. The extraordinary love that these two share for each other is one of fairy tales.
I have decided to start this GoFundMe to help Sarah and Tristian get through the rocky road they have ahead of them. Sarah is no longer able to work, and Tristian, along with Sarah’s mother, who helps a great deal, have to take time off work to bring Sarah to her treatments and doctor's appointments. I hope this campaign will touch the hearts of those who read about it, and are able to help. If it can help them cover some of the medical and travel expenses that are getting overwhelming, it will free them up to care for her and love her without the burden and fear of being able to continue to provide for her needs.
It’s heartbreaking for me to see the most kind-hearted person I know experience such a horrible thing at such a young age. Despite the overwhelming statistics not really being in her favor, Sarah and Tristian have remained as surprisingly optimistic about the situation as they could possibly be. After being diagnosed and learning this is not a result of lifestyle, they did research on pancreatic cancer and found that the statistics indicate that pancreatic cancer accounts for only about 3% of new cancer cases every year and incidence rates are 25% higher in black people than in white people. Furthermore, 90% of those diagnosed are older than 55 and men are more likely to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer than woman. The probability of people under the age of 50 developing pancreatic cancer is 0.1% and the probability of someone under the age of 50 dying from pancreatic cancer is less than 0.1%, so if the statistics narrowed this down to females under the age of 25, this would bring the probability down by a substantial amount. They feel that these statistics indicate that with her case being a one in so many million since it's so rare for her age, she should actually in fact be considered “lucky”. With all the advances and breakthroughs that doctors are making every day, we feel we are getting one step closer to finding the cure for cancer, and there will eventually be that “first person” who they discover the cure for. We’re hopeful that with your help and Sarah’s unmatched positivity, she will be able to participate in a clinical trial where she becomes that one!
What’s more important to me than the potential financial support from this campaign being successful is that Sarah’s story can get in front of the right people who can help provide both Tristian and Sarah with any helpful information or advice that may lead them to another medicinal breakthrough. Please help make that possible by sharing this with anyone you know that may be able to help!
Thank you for your help!
Organizer and beneficiary
Bradlee Phillips
Organizer
Southampton, NY
Eleanor Burgess
Beneficiary