In loving memory of Joanne Vlahou

Hi my name is Michael,

PLEASE HELP MY MOTHER! I need your help. My mother’s cancer has disabled her and she requires immediate medical assistance. In 2014, my mother underwent a 17h surgery to remove a tumor in her spine. As she recovered from this major procedure in the years that followed, we were kept in the dark about a major truth. In 2018, the tumor recurred and it was only then that we discovered she was living with a rare form of bone cancer, Chordoma. Only 1 in a million people are diagnosed with this disease worldwide. Due to a lack of specialists and treatment options in Canada, her disease has progressed and metastasized over the years. Her health has been largely impacted, leading to several visits to the emergency. Three weeks ago, her lung collapsed due to an infection that required immediate attention. She is still in the hospital and we cannot send her home without the proper medical equipment installed and a professional in place to care for her. We are trying our best to support her and she won’t survive on her own without the proper setting and care. I need your help to raise money to provide comfortable and safe living conditions for her. We do not have the means to invest in equipment, a caregiver, and potentially lifesaving treatment which we are forced to look outside the country for. My father, my sister and I have done everything to support her to keep her comfortable and alive for the last 9 years. I have no other choice but to ask for help. This is our last hope. With the help and blessings of our community and many others with kind hearts, please help us bring our mother home.

**UPDATE (March 22, 2023)**

Hello everyone!

Some positive news... my mother came home on Monday, March 20. The CLSC has installed a medical bed and lift in my parents' home. They will program visits to help with some of her everyday needs (we are disappointed to discover what little "care" our system actually offers). For now, most of the care is being provided by our family. Furthermore, we still need to renovate some areas in the living space and make some changes. Also, we have contacted hospitals in the United States to seek second-opinions that specialize in Chordoma. Fingers crossed, we can get an appointment once my mother is more stable.

I would like to thank each and every one of our donors! My family and I are truly blessed to have a strong, supportive community around us. Your kind words and prayers have given us positive energy and they have lifted my mother's spirits. I am beyond overwhelmed with the amount that has been raised in exactly one week since I launched this GoFundMe. We have surpassed 50% of our target goal! This could not have happened without your help in donating and sharing. As such, from my family to all of you, we thank you very much!