Late last year, a family member was diagnosed with state 4 metastatic pancreatic cancer, after months of abdominal pain, weight loss, and digestive issues. They have been in treatment for several weeks now, and have been responding very positively. However, due to the high cost of care, we are having difficulty paying for their treatment. In order to meet these healthcare costs and ensure continued access to care, we have set up this GoFundMe. Honoring their wishes, we are keeping their identity private as they prefer to handle this news discreetly.

They began their first course of chemotherapy on December 11, 2024. Although they are responding well to treatment, it still places an immense physical, emotional, and financial strain on everyone in the family. This is the start of a challenging road. To improve their chances of survival, we are exploring advanced treatment at a private oncology clinic in Turkey. These treatments, alongside chemotherapy, medications, and other therapies, represent their best hope for recovery. However, the associated costs are overwhelming, far exceeding what we can afford as graduate students.

We are reaching out for your support. Every donation, regardless of size, will go directly toward covering their medical expenses, treatments, and related costs. If you are unable to contribute financially, we would appreciate your help in sharing this campaign with your network through email or text messages only, as they have requested privacy and prefer not to publicize this on social media.

If donations exceed the amount needed for their care, we will donate the surplus to “The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network” in the U.S., an organization dedicated to supporting pancreatic cancer patients. You may also contribute directly to this cause through this link: https://secure.pancan.org/site/Donation2?df_id=6701&mfc_pref=T&6701.donation=form1

Your generosity and kindness mean so much. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for supporting us during this challenging time.

Sahika Karatepe and Kenyon Cavender