Help Our Dear Shannon Fight Cancer

Why is it that amazing news always seems to be followed by terrible news? A few weeks after one of the happiest days of my life, my engagement to the man of my dreams, I received terrible news from my Aunt Shannon.

 

I was very close to my Aunt Shannon growing up, in fact, she lived with us for a while when I was young. On any given Sunday my Aunt Shannon and I would love to play dress-up together. We had so much fun dressing up in frilly, lacey clothes, applying what should be considered illegal amounts of pink sparkly lipstick, and touting tea hats full of flowers. She is my fun, wacky, loveable, outrageous, tie-dye wearing, unapologetically herself aunt. And I love every piece of her for it.

 

Not too long ago Shannon told the family that she has been diagnosed with Stage III Colorectal Cancer. We are told the tumor is very large and the doctors say that she will have to undergo several rounds of Chemotherapy and Radiation, to hopefully shrink the tumor enough to perform surgery. After all of that, the doctors say they will likely need more rounds of treatments, all the while having to endure the negative effects of Chemotherapy. With all of this, her chance of survival is just about 50%.

 

After much time, tears, and careful consideration, both Shannon and her loving husband of almost 40 years, Rick, have decided she would undergo targeted radiation on the tumor in order to shrink it enough for surgery. Afterward, they will take it "one day at a time & if so, more targeted radiation.

Shannon is in the hospital now and has received her first round of radiation, she has lost a lot of weight and has been in some discomfort, but her spirits are high. She is getting ready to undergo her first round of surgeries. Please send your thoughts of positivity, love, and prayers to her and Rick. <3

 

While my Aunt Shannon does believe in modern medicine and the great things it can accomplish she has drawn a line in the sand when it comes to the painful and negative side effects of Chemo. At the age of 67 and with deep-rooted personal and emotional issues that she would openly talk about, such as anxiety, Shannon has decided to not undergo chemotherapy. She says it is just too much for her to take.

 

As Aunt Shannon would put it, "I am one hell of a stubborn old redhead...but if my time is near…I have finally accepted it…If I have only a few more years in this world…I ONLY PRAY FOR ENOUGH YEARS TO SEE AND BE WITH FAMILY. To be at Shawna (MY) & Adams’ Wedding! I just want to meet and kiss my grand nieces & nephews. More than anything I want to fight this cancer to stay long enough to spend more time with our family, the ONE thing I never did enough of during this lifetime."

 

My family and I want to raise money for my Aunt Shannon and her husband Rick, who is a cancer survivor himself. They have both been hard workers all of their lives earning honest livings, but they are retired now and of modest means. They had a plan to live simply off of their retirement. However, this event in their lives has thrown that dream out the window.

As a result of Shannon's diagnosis, they have had to incur the cost of moving cross-state, adopting out their beloved pets, costs of medical bills and surgeries, and effects of both of their long-term, chronic medical conditions has left them in financial, emotional, and physical stress. They are in need of a miracle, they are in need of us.

My mom's family is a big Irish family so naturally, we all got as far away from each other as we could and spread ourselves throughout the country in clusters. From Vermont to North Carolina and from San Diego to Texas. The cost to visit family would be more than Shannon & Rick could afford at this time. 

Hopefully, with your help, we can raise enough to help them pay their hospital bills, get the necessary cancer treatments, and live out their lives in peace.  

 

 

We are looking to raise $50,000 as soon as we can for our lovable Shannon. Please help her try to fight cancer with dignity, without anxiety or stress, and spend as much time with family as she can.