Help for the Haines Family
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Help for the Haines Family
Eight years ago, during her second pregnancy, Shelly Haines started experiencing the worrisome symptoms. Pain. Then bone fractures. The diagnosis quickly followed. After celebrating the birth of their baby girl, Shelly began treatment for Multiple Myeloma, a cancer that is incurable. As the doctors said, it was her job to stay alive long enough to see a cure discovered. She and her husband Al hoped that was time enough to see their two beautiful children grow up. Chemotherapy, a bone marrow biopsy, and many doctors’ appointments followed to prepare for a bone marrow transplant. Success with this extreme treatment could mean a drug free remission for years to come. If the cancer returned in under two years, she would be unable to try again.
Favour would have it that her remission was long, 6 years to be exact. It was a beautiful time for Shelly and Al to watch Nicholas grow into a bright, athletic, energetic little boy and Sophie into a strong, outgoing, curious little girl.
But then, when Sophie was only 5 years old, she came down with a flu. She became sick with a fever, the kind of illness all mothers know needs only Tylenol, popsicles, and rest. But on day 5, Sophie woke with a headache. Immediately, her parents rushed her to emergency where she was quickly sent to Children’s Hospital in Vancouver.
Sophie Claire Haines passed away of Bacterial Meningitis on Dec 7, 2013. Shelly, Al, and Nicholas did their best to survive the devastation and to move forward so that Nicholas could find a new normal in his Grade 2 life. That alone is more than any family should bear.
But as the community gathered around the Haines family on the one year anniversary of Sophie’s passing by organizing a candlelit vigil that saw more than 300 people walk to remember Sophie, Shelly was coping with yet another blow. Her cancer had returned to life threatening levels. It was time to make hard decisions. In an effort to fight but maintain a normal life for Al and Nicholas, Shelly participated in an experimental drug trial. Two years of infections, exhaustion, and countless side effects followed with only little done to keep her cancer at bay.
We come to today, weeks before Shelly endures her second bone marrow transplant. We are hopeful that years of drug free health will follow. But before that time, there is a month of isolated care when Shelly and Al must live alone and attend daily hospital visits. This will be followed by a year of living as if the smallest spore, a layer of dust, or the mildest bacteria could be deadly. With chemotherapy completely wiping out her immune system, resetting her body so that the new marrow cells can create a healthy balance, Shelly must take numerous medications, many supplements, and eat a special diet. She cannot clean, garden, or come into contact with any illnesses. She must attempt to raise a child with a husband who travels for work in order to support their family and pay for her medications.
We need your help. Despite her losses, Shelly has been a vital, loving friend to our community. While enduring the unimaginable, the Haines family has never asked for help. So we ask that you help us give this family some financial assistance so that Al can stay home with Shelly for the first three critical months. We want to see Shelly cared for, we want her rested. We want Nicholas to have as normal of a grade 5 year as possible with his Dad there to drive to him to practices and play hockey with him on the driveway. We want Al to have time with his family in order to care for his wife and keep his own health. We're attempting to raise this money before March 1 so arrangements can be made.
Please join us. Be part of this community. Let’s help Nicholas grow up knowing how good this world is. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your support.
Sincerely,
Friends of the Haines Family
Eight years ago, during her second pregnancy, Shelly Haines started experiencing the worrisome symptoms. Pain. Then bone fractures. The diagnosis quickly followed. After celebrating the birth of their baby girl, Shelly began treatment for Multiple Myeloma, a cancer that is incurable. As the doctors said, it was her job to stay alive long enough to see a cure discovered. She and her husband Al hoped that was time enough to see their two beautiful children grow up. Chemotherapy, a bone marrow biopsy, and many doctors’ appointments followed to prepare for a bone marrow transplant. Success with this extreme treatment could mean a drug free remission for years to come. If the cancer returned in under two years, she would be unable to try again.
Favour would have it that her remission was long, 6 years to be exact. It was a beautiful time for Shelly and Al to watch Nicholas grow into a bright, athletic, energetic little boy and Sophie into a strong, outgoing, curious little girl.
But then, when Sophie was only 5 years old, she came down with a flu. She became sick with a fever, the kind of illness all mothers know needs only Tylenol, popsicles, and rest. But on day 5, Sophie woke with a headache. Immediately, her parents rushed her to emergency where she was quickly sent to Children’s Hospital in Vancouver.
Sophie Claire Haines passed away of Bacterial Meningitis on Dec 7, 2013. Shelly, Al, and Nicholas did their best to survive the devastation and to move forward so that Nicholas could find a new normal in his Grade 2 life. That alone is more than any family should bear.
But as the community gathered around the Haines family on the one year anniversary of Sophie’s passing by organizing a candlelit vigil that saw more than 300 people walk to remember Sophie, Shelly was coping with yet another blow. Her cancer had returned to life threatening levels. It was time to make hard decisions. In an effort to fight but maintain a normal life for Al and Nicholas, Shelly participated in an experimental drug trial. Two years of infections, exhaustion, and countless side effects followed with only little done to keep her cancer at bay.
We come to today, weeks before Shelly endures her second bone marrow transplant. We are hopeful that years of drug free health will follow. But before that time, there is a month of isolated care when Shelly and Al must live alone and attend daily hospital visits. This will be followed by a year of living as if the smallest spore, a layer of dust, or the mildest bacteria could be deadly. With chemotherapy completely wiping out her immune system, resetting her body so that the new marrow cells can create a healthy balance, Shelly must take numerous medications, many supplements, and eat a special diet. She cannot clean, garden, or come into contact with any illnesses. She must attempt to raise a child with a husband who travels for work in order to support their family and pay for her medications.
We need your help. Despite her losses, Shelly has been a vital, loving friend to our community. While enduring the unimaginable, the Haines family has never asked for help. So we ask that you help us give this family some financial assistance so that Al can stay home with Shelly for the first three critical months. We want to see Shelly cared for, we want her rested. We want Nicholas to have as normal of a grade 5 year as possible with his Dad there to drive to him to practices and play hockey with him on the driveway. We want Al to have time with his family in order to care for his wife and keep his own health. We're attempting to raise this money before March 1 so arrangements can be made.
Please join us. Be part of this community. Let’s help Nicholas grow up knowing how good this world is. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your support.
Sincerely,
Friends of the Haines Family
Organizer
Trina McClure Pacey
Organizer
Surrey, BC