Support Shimia Through Her Cancer Journey

On July 5th 2023 our lives changed.

Shimia went to St Luke’s Emergency Room for back pain so painful, she was vomiting. St Luke’s did a CT Scan and the CT Scan discovered a large mass on her left kidney. The doctor warned us this was urgent and sent us straight to Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis. Shimia had an emergency “Radical Nephrectomy” (a full removal of her kidney and this mass). The biopsy of the mass returned as Stage 3 Renal Cell Carcinoma. The doctors assured us they removed all of the cancer and we were able to heal and breathe.

Shimia returned for her recheck appointment on October 19th 2023. During this recheck they discovered a nodule on her lung. We were hopeful and told the nodule could be “inflammatory” or a “virus” and it was recommended to return in 6 weeks.

Unfortunately, at Shimia’s 6 week check on December 1st the nodule on her lung had grown and multiplied. Shimia underwent a full body PET Scan along with a biopsy of her left lung and neighboring lymph nodes. These tests came back showing her cancer had metastasized to her lungs and lymph nodes and she was upgraded to Stage 4 Renal Cell Carcinoma. This rapid growth has let us know this cancer is aggressive. We are overwhelmed and emotional.

Shimia had her first immunotherapy infusion on Wednesday, January 3, 2024. She also has been prescribed an oral chemotherapy treatment to take daily at home. She will start the oral medication this coming week. The side effects of these medications are extreme. Shimia will continue this regimen if her body will let her in hopes of the cancer shrinking; Shimia will have another PET Scan in 60 days to find out if this is going to work.

Shimia’s passion is dance. She is not only on The Duluth East Dance Team, she also dances for Just for Kix in Duluth. Shimia has been able to dance and has shown strength in continuing to dance while navigating her illness. She works very hard and education is a priority to her. She keeps a 3.5 or higher GPA and dreams of becoming a lawyer someday.

Her mother, Rikelle, is a proud independent mother, therefore, asking for help is difficult. Rikelle works full-time and is the only provider for her three children. Rikelle will be making multiple trips to the Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis, many of these visits resulting in over nights and missed days at work. I am asking for your support to ease the financial burden she will endure. I will make sure to post updates along this journey.

Your thoughts and prayers are welcomed.