Help Shanny while she kicks cancer's butt

When I first got the phone call from one of my dearest friends, Shannon, all I wanted to do was run to her and give her a big hug and tell her everything will be ok.  Shannon told me she found a lump in her breast August 6th, 2020, which had been diagnosed as Breast Cancer by her family doctor on August 17th, 2020.  She met with her cancer doctor on August 20th, 2020 and began chemo treatments on September 2nd.  She has been diagnosed with DCIS stage 2B.  She will receive chemo therapy over 18 weeks, followed by surgery and then 8 to 9 months of targeted intravenous therapy

Problem is she lives in Stanley, Wisconsin and I live here in Harrowsmith, Ontario.  Although I wouldn't have hesitated to get in my car that moment or on the next plane, COVID-19 restrictions had me staying put.  I also know I wouldn't have been the only one making that trip to support her, many of her friends and family would also be on their way to help support her and her two handsome boys.

You see, Shannon originally moved to Wisconsin to be with her husband and create a family for her first born, Aden.  Soon, along came Kellen to make a family of 4.   Unfortunately, her marriage fell apart, with her divorce finalized in August 2020, and her and the boys were on their own in a place where she had no family members other than those of her ex-husband.  Although Shannon makes friends wherever she goes and those friends are helping as best they can (something I will be forever grateful to them for), we can all agree that nothing beats having your own family and life-long friends holding your hand through chemo treatments, comforting you when you are sick and helping ease the stress and pressure of everyday life raising two boys and running a household.

Her handsome boys, Aden, 16 and Kellen, 9, help out with chores around the house, but in our phone calls I can hear the worry and concern for their mom in their voices and it breaks my heart.

Shannon had tried to keep working through all of this as she is the sole provider for her kids and herself, however due to her health she had to stop working and is expected to be out of work until at least the spring.  She has also had to withdraw her children from school due to COVID cases within their school and in order to protect her already near existent immune system.

The most recent phone call I had with Shannon crying on the other end of the phone while telling me she's down to her last $100 in her account and isn't sure how she's going to pay her increasing medical bills in addition to her household bills.  Of course Christmas is coming, and as any mom would, she is worried about providing as normal of a Christmas experience for her boys, despite being as sick as she is.

You know what I said?  "Don't worry Shannon,  I'll handle it".  It's the least I can do from almost 1,500 kilometres away.

So friends and family of Shannon, here we are.  I am calling on you to help Shannon in any amount you can.  It all adds up in the end.  Share your words of encouragement too!

Anyone who has met Shannon knows she is a fighter and will in no doubt kick cancer's ass, so I'm asking you to rally in her corner and show her that we are all here for her and her boys regardless of the distance that separates us.

WE LOVE YOU SHANNY!!

PLEASE NOTE YOUR DONATION WILL BE IN US FUNDS to allow this account to be directly linked to Shannon, so she can withdraw from your donations whenever she needs to.