Shekeita Magitt's Cancer Fund

A few years ago I had what to me was a great life. I was a full time working customer service agent and freelance makeup artist. During that time I struggled with Endometriosis which I was first diagnosed with at the age of 10.

*Endometriosis is a disease that effects millions of women. Its most common symptoms are pain, fatigue and infertility.*

Up until I was 23 years old I worked while in extreme pain coupled with nausea, vomiting and extreme fatigue. However on top of my Endometriosis sypmtoms I began to experience weight gain, headaches and trouble swallowing. Along with severe pain, there was now a large lump in my neck. I spent nearly 3 years trying to get a doctor to take my neck issues seriously but all told me I was fine. So I went on about my life still working with the neck pain and lump.

At the age of 24 years old I decided I wanted to become a nurse. I knew how it felt to spend year after year in pain while doctors and nurses ignored me, I wanted to keep that from happening to others if I could. Right when I was due to start school my neck pain got worse! It had gotten so bad that I went to the ER several times per weeks! Eventually a doctor there took me seriously and I was scheduled for a thyroid ultrasound and biopsy.

On 8/2/2013 I had my thyroid biopsy and ultrasound. My doctor was sure it would come back a benign nodule and that we would wait it out. During all of this my Endometriosis had gotten so bad that I had to resign from my job. I couldnt walk, sit, stand or even lay in bed without pelvic pain! Surgery was the only hope I had for getting my life back on track. So 8/12/13, just 10 days later I went ahead with Endometriosis surgery.

While still recovering from surgery I got a call on 8/16/13 that I had Stage 4 Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma with Solid Variant! At that point, I knew that my entire life was about to change. I knew right away that even if my Endometriosis surgery was successful that I was in for a tough fight. I just never imagined this all would last nearyly 2.5 years! 

The next day my Oncologist suggested I schedule a two-part surgery to remove my entire thyroid. The goal was to remove as much of the cancer to try to make radiation unnecessary. We went ahead with both surgeries on 9/20/2013 and 11/1/2013. Unfortunately, even after both surgeries(removal ofmy thyroid, ithsmus, 2 parathyroids and lymph nodes) I still had cancer! Immediately I scheduled Radioactive Iodine treatment, a oral form of radiation. Radiation was 1/8/2014.

While still dealing with cancer I began having debilitating bowel cramping. After a colonoscopy I was diagnosed with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, a rare genetic disease that affects only 1 in 24,000 people. This disease causes hundreds and thousands of precancerous polyps to grow within the digestive tract. My surgical oncologist recommended a total colectomy (removal of the entire colon). This would keep me from ever developing colon cancer. Through genetic testing the oncologist found that my Thyroid Cancer just months before had been caused by this same disease. So because of this treating my familial adenomatous polyposis is very important!
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September 12, 2014 I was admitted to the hospital for my colectomy. My entire colon was removed after a nearly 7 hours long surgery! My oncologist found thousands of precancerous polyps that had began devolopimg into stage 1 colon cancer. I currently have precancerous polyps in my stomach, duodenum and small intestines. If they are left untreated they will turn cancerous! 
I need your support to help me get my life back! If you can donate anything at all I would be so grateful! Please share this if you can!

Thank You!