Support Vanessa's Battle Against Cancer
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Hello, my mother Vanessa is suffering from cancer and I am raising money for the cost of medical bills and her care. As her only child, and living out of state, I am taking unpaid leave from work to care for her and it is causing both mental and financial strain.
- In November of 2023, she noticed some swelling and pain in her jaw.
- December we spent time trying to work with the healthcare system to find a dental surgeon to remove what was discovered at the time, cysts, in her jaw without needing us to pay the cost upfront.
- By January, her jaw had grown exponentially and we were still struggling to find help.
- February, she was admitted into the hospital because the cysts had burst and started to bleed. It was then that additional tests were run and we were told my mother has cancer.
- In March she was readmitted to the hospital due to her jaw cauliflowering to an open wound tumor, bleeding and extreme pain.
At this point we were informed she has two types of cancer; throat cancer causing the tumor on her jaw and tongue as well as lung cancer accompanied by another tumor. The cancer has metastasized so quickly that she also has a tumor in her back encroaching upon her spine, fractures on the T5 and T7 of the spine, lesions in her brain and has had an infection of the blood, a GI bleed, blood clots and multiple strokes.
She needs radiation therapy, chemotherapy & immunotherapy to fight this cancer. The later of the 3 which can cost $20,000 out of pocket per session. We are hoping to get this covered by insurance or receive some financial aid but unfortunately, the chances are not high.
I am her only child and am taking unpaid FMLA to travel back and forth on Greyhound so I can attend doctors appointments and help manage my mother's care. I'm also caring for my 91 year old grandmother. Transportation has been challenging so in the meantime, I have been using Uber and Lyft to get to and from all appointments, to see my mother in the hospital and/or skilled nursing facility, to get to my grandmother, run all errands including grocery shopping, filling and picking up prescriptions and paying their bills. Costs easily reach and can exceed $160 a day purely from transportation due to the distance needed to travel and the frequency.
I am asking for any help that you'd be willing to provide so that I can continue to care for my mother and grandmother and pay for the treatment she needs.
Organizer
ShàDae Jones
Organizer
Columbus, OH