Pam's Hope - The Cancer is Back - We Need Help
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Pam Thornton is one of those people that life seems to test on a continual basis. She has been a resilient woman who continues to find the good in others and the silver linings in adversity.
Pam has endured many losses. Parents, siblings and a child. Through it all, her faith kept her looking forward and believing that better days were ahead. She has been a great friend to many, a wonderful parent to her surviving child and a strong co-worker to those in her department at the VA .
In 2008, Pam was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. She followed her physicians guidance ,had a mastectomy along with follow up testing, lab work and CT Scans. Due to the effects of chemotherapy and how much lost time at work and income it would entail, Pam had to decline chemotherapy. She remained under the close supervision of her oncologist. Once she was through all of those treatments, therapies, appointments and had reached that all important five-year goal, she was told she was cancer-free and to go out and enjoy the rest of her life. They told her it was a 0-1% chance that the cancer would return.
Over the past few years, Pam has been plagued with aches and pains that weren’t quite the norm. She went in to see her provider but until just recently, a diagnosis was not figured out. Then, in December of 2020, they did a CT scan of her back and Pam received devastating news. Her physicians suspected that the lesions on her spine and bones were cancerous and their fears were correct. A biopsy showed that Pam has Stage 4 Breast Cancer in her bones.
While it likely goes without saying, Pam and her family were devastated by this news. The scattered random aches and pains she has been experiencing for years are due to the lesions on her bones plus she has multiple fractures on her spine.
Pam’s provider wants to give her medication to strengthen her bones along with the chemotherapy but they are unable to do this as she is in need of extensive dental work first. Pam has needed dental work for years but when it came to making the choice to buy groceries or dental care, she made the choice to feed her family. The same went with making car or rent payments. She has always put others needs before her own. That’s just how she’s made.
The reason I am sharing all of this difficult information with you is that I am doing whatever I can to help Pam. I want to raise the funds needed to get Pam the dental work she needs done so that those bone-strengthening medications can be put to work for her. Thankfully, the co-pays for her chemotherapy are going to be at a reduced rate for the first six months.
As for the rest of her family, Pam is married to her husband Rich. He has severe Rheumatoid Arthritis and his medication has a significant impact on their income already. Recently, their adult son, Sean, has had to move back into their home as he has serious medical issues that require monitoring. As you can probably tell, this family is carrying some very heavy burdens, but, you would not know it by their attitudes. They continue to believe that things will all work out the way they should. The positive outlook is an inspiration to everyone who knows them.
Pam needs to get this dental work done as soon as possible so she has the best chance at getting all the medications she needs to be able to kick this cancer into the ditch. We have set our fundraising goal at $5,000 in hopes that we can find a dental clinic that will do a full set of dentures as the teeth Pam has left are not really salvageable. If you know of a dental clinic that will do work for a decreased cost, please contact me.
Having this devastating diagnosis once in a lifetime is bad enough but to have it come back, even worse, is too much. We know like isn't fair sometimes but this is really difficult for one person to bear.
Any help you are able to give will be truly appreciated and put to a great cause. Thank you!
Pam has endured many losses. Parents, siblings and a child. Through it all, her faith kept her looking forward and believing that better days were ahead. She has been a great friend to many, a wonderful parent to her surviving child and a strong co-worker to those in her department at the VA .
In 2008, Pam was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. She followed her physicians guidance ,had a mastectomy along with follow up testing, lab work and CT Scans. Due to the effects of chemotherapy and how much lost time at work and income it would entail, Pam had to decline chemotherapy. She remained under the close supervision of her oncologist. Once she was through all of those treatments, therapies, appointments and had reached that all important five-year goal, she was told she was cancer-free and to go out and enjoy the rest of her life. They told her it was a 0-1% chance that the cancer would return.
Over the past few years, Pam has been plagued with aches and pains that weren’t quite the norm. She went in to see her provider but until just recently, a diagnosis was not figured out. Then, in December of 2020, they did a CT scan of her back and Pam received devastating news. Her physicians suspected that the lesions on her spine and bones were cancerous and their fears were correct. A biopsy showed that Pam has Stage 4 Breast Cancer in her bones.
While it likely goes without saying, Pam and her family were devastated by this news. The scattered random aches and pains she has been experiencing for years are due to the lesions on her bones plus she has multiple fractures on her spine.
Pam’s provider wants to give her medication to strengthen her bones along with the chemotherapy but they are unable to do this as she is in need of extensive dental work first. Pam has needed dental work for years but when it came to making the choice to buy groceries or dental care, she made the choice to feed her family. The same went with making car or rent payments. She has always put others needs before her own. That’s just how she’s made.
The reason I am sharing all of this difficult information with you is that I am doing whatever I can to help Pam. I want to raise the funds needed to get Pam the dental work she needs done so that those bone-strengthening medications can be put to work for her. Thankfully, the co-pays for her chemotherapy are going to be at a reduced rate for the first six months.
As for the rest of her family, Pam is married to her husband Rich. He has severe Rheumatoid Arthritis and his medication has a significant impact on their income already. Recently, their adult son, Sean, has had to move back into their home as he has serious medical issues that require monitoring. As you can probably tell, this family is carrying some very heavy burdens, but, you would not know it by their attitudes. They continue to believe that things will all work out the way they should. The positive outlook is an inspiration to everyone who knows them.
Pam needs to get this dental work done as soon as possible so she has the best chance at getting all the medications she needs to be able to kick this cancer into the ditch. We have set our fundraising goal at $5,000 in hopes that we can find a dental clinic that will do a full set of dentures as the teeth Pam has left are not really salvageable. If you know of a dental clinic that will do work for a decreased cost, please contact me.
Having this devastating diagnosis once in a lifetime is bad enough but to have it come back, even worse, is too much. We know like isn't fair sometimes but this is really difficult for one person to bear.
Any help you are able to give will be truly appreciated and put to a great cause. Thank you!
Organizer and beneficiary
Karen Rupp
Organizer
Saint Cloud, MN
Pamela Thornton
Beneficiary