Help Fallon Shoemaker with Medical Issues

UPDATE from Fallon:

So after more days and nights at NIH (5 days in the hospital after this last surgery and still recovering now 2 weeks later) they were finally able to get the pathology they needed. It was always to find out which type of lymphoma this was so we knew which treatment was right. Well to everyone’s surprise, after the last 5 months of what feels like nonstop testing, scans, & hospitalizations, the result ended up being that this is actually a very rare auto-immune condition that can mimic Lymphoma. It’s so rare that there are only 2 doctors in Maryland that are specialists. Thankfully, my Thoracic surgeon at NIH’s wife just so happens to be one of them and operates out of Baltimore.

A lot of mixed emotions with this because unfortunately the best you can do with this condition (Stage II Sarcoidosis) is treatment to push it into a state of remission and hope the periods of relapse are few and far between. Some of the treatment methods are actually the same drugs that are used in chemo and some are different. The real hard pill to swallow is that, were this lymphoma, it would most likely be able to be cured and behind me eventually, whereas now this will require constant monitoring and treatments by specialists for the rest of my life. That being said, I’m also grateful right now at the same time. It’s a lot to process… It's a condition that when it’s in remission, you can live a totally normal life and feel great… I’m so, so, so hopeful and looking forward to that. Until then, I’ll have many, many wonderful specialists taking care of me and helping me to get there with this.

I’ve had to take an immense amount of time off of work and I’m so very grateful for my employer being just about the most compassionate and supportive person I’ve ever met. That being said, having a commission-based job has made all of this time off of work quite a financial burden. Unfortunately, it’s going to continue here and there for the next 7 months while we try and get this into remission with treatment. I will still have constant scans, tests and specialist appointments, but the wonderful people I have around me have made all of this manageable and I don’t know how to thank you all enough. Particularly my mother, who moved up here from Florida and in with me back in March and has been my rock, helping me with the kids. As well as Pollux (Holden’s dad), who has been there for me and nursed me back to health after 2 surgeries, even while building a factory for his company BioSafe from the ground up. I can’t thank you all enough for everything you’ve done, bringing me meals and care packages, sending me unsolicited messages of love and encouragement… You’ve all amazed me and made me feel so loved. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I'm Jessica Shoemaker, and Fallon Shoemaker is my sister-in-law.

I am reaching out to you today to raise awareness and funds

for our dear friend Fallon Wirtz Shoemaker, a courageous 38-year-old single

mother of three children and (dog mom of a Berner puppy) who was diagnosed

with aggressive high-grade lymphoma cancer.

Fallon is a fighter, a woman who has always put her children

first and worked tirelessly to provide for them. But now, she faces an

incredible challenge requiring all our support. Her battle with cancer will

be long and difficult, and she needs our help to afford the expensive medical

treatments and care she needs to fight this disease.

As you can imagine, the cost of cancer treatment is

astronomical, and Fallon cannot afford it and living expenses for her

family on her own. She has already used up all of her savings and will be

forced to take time off work to focus on her health and family, which has put

additional financial pressure on them.

No one should face cancer alone,

especially not a devoted mother like Fallon. I am asking your help to

support her during this incredibly difficult time. Every donation, no matter

how small, will go a long way toward helping her access the medical care and

treatments she needs to fight this disease and be there for her children.

Please help us by donating to Fallon's GoFundMe campaign and

sharing it with your friends and family. Let's unite and show Fallon

she is not alone in this fight. Thank you for your kindness and

generosity.