Young mom versus cancer! Help her win her life back!

UPDATE:
April 21, 2023, 4:16 pm

Here is the latest update on Sandra’s brave fight with cancer! 

Dear Donors, I come to you with the latest news! 

April 1 marks the first anniversary of my fundraiser. My family and I are extremely grateful for the donations that let us cover the costs of supportive care for cancer therapy. Additional drips and dietary supplements give me the energy boost to pursue daily activities and unwavering faith in defeating the unwanted intruder - cancer. 

For the past year, I have undergone 23 chemotherapies. I must admit that constant trips to the city almost 300 km away wore us down mentally and physically. Every time I come back from chemo, I need to rest.

What’s important, we spend quality time together as a family between my treatments. It motivates us to continue our battle with cancer and to share more moments like this! 

Summertime is upon us, and we hope to spend it peacefully, enjoying our free time as much as possible. Our daughter, who has just turned 3, bravely accompanies us in our efforts against my disease. In exchange, we want to provide her with what every child deserves - a family, a sense of closeness, and a crazy childhood disrupted by my battle with cancer as little as possible. 

Without complaining - we continue our battle! We are driving to the city of Łódź to complete some “assignment”.  

After we return home, we mentally detach ourselves from the disease and get on with our lives like any other family! 

As for Sandra’s medical condition - the CT scan and MRI results showed that the disease has become stable. Proper treatment and supportive care (supplements, IV therapies, and special diet) are reflected in better blood test results. This way, I can undergo further rounds of chemotherapy! 

It’s all thanks to YOU! 

I'm about to undergo other stressful routine checkups at the end of April and May. However, we believe we will maintain the disease stability by then! And we will be extremely happy if the tests show that the “lout” has finally shrunk! 

The amount remaining on our fundraiser is 15,000 zlotys, and funds raised from 1% of tax are 8,000 zlotys (enough to cover the costs of 3-month-long supportive care). 

It seems small, but we do our best! 

Unfortunately, we have no idea how long the battle will last - the “intruder” does not move out from my body despite our best efforts to expel it. 

We want to thank all people engaged in our fundraiser for their continuous mental and financial support. 

We also thank our whole family and friends for the extra motivation to pursue our fight and for making us forget it! 

Finally, we want to express our gratitude to all the doctors and specialists for keeping me alive! To our understanding employers! To the supportive Siepomaga Foundation and all its Donors! 

In such moments, we are overwhelmed that so many of you have hearts of gold!

We thank you and bow to you! Maya Angelou once said: “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away”. 

Currently, our goal is to enjoy life to the fullest! We wish the same to you! 

If any of you still has not settled your PIT yet, we encourage you to pledge 1,5% to Sandra.

 

Update

October 24, 2022, 5:03 pm

We have news!

Six months have passed since we launched the fundraiser and shared the news about our enemy, which is cancer.  

We want to offer you some updates since you might wonder how we deal with that stubborn, unwanted guest. 

The last two CTs showed (attention everyone!): stable disease and the lack of significant changes compared to the previous examination. What does it mean? Our enemy doesn’t enjoy staying in my body, so it stopped growing or switching locations. So far, it’s been staying in one place and hasn’t moved since. 

The concentration of tumor markers (substances produced by cancer cells - the “bad warriors”) has dropped - it’s another piece of good news! 

Currently, the treatment cycle remains the same - every two weeks, I have to travel to Brzeziny near Łódź to “pour” chemo into my bloodstream, which gives my enemy a strong punch. 

Unfortunately, chemo also gives side effects - it deprives my body of “good warriors” (the white blood cells) and has given me a hard time lately… Either way, we continue intravenous chemo, diet, and supplement intake, which cost a lot. 

Thanks to you, we’ve achieved progress! That’s what we had been dreaming of for a long time. Sandra’s condition has improved!  

On average, we spend ca. 14,000 zlotys monthly for treatment and supportive care. Currently, we have 58,000 zlotys left from your donations.

Thanks to your support, we can continue therapy that strengthens Sandra’s immune system and fights cancer! 

We appreciate every donation and share that will contribute to Sandra’s recovery! 

Greetings from our whole family: Sindi, Igła, and Dżonka

_________________________

My name is Sandra, and I’m 31 years old. I have a daughter and a loving husband, Marcin. 

I’ve also been fighting cancer for the past two years… Since it’s hard for me to read medical documents regarding my disease - stage IV colon cancer, I will spare you the details. However, I would like you to read my story and become a part of it since I have a huge favor to ask of you… Please help me fight for life…

It all started just as I had imagined: getting married, pregnant, and buying a condo.

I told myself - finally, everything was going according to plan! If I only knew that it wasn’t meant to last forever… It all seemed as if the universe played a bad joke on me. 

When I was pregnant, I was diagnosed with a cyst. The doctors told me it was nothing to worry about, so my husband and I went to the seaside for a vacation. That’s when I started to bleed… We rushed to the nearest hospital… Medical care was a disaster. A midwife told me I must have shaken my baby out during my trip… 

I was shocked and tearful. When I entered the doctor’s office and underwent an examination, he asked me if I knew I had a tumor! 

My world suddenly stopped. I didn’t know what to think. 

We went back home immediately to see my doctor. I did some extra tests. My pregnancy was fine. I felt such relief and joy! 

On April 16, 2020, I gave birth to a healthy baby girl, Iga. Later on, during some follow-up examinations, I noticed that grave expression on my doctor’s face when he did my ultrasound. 

He was concerned and silent…

And then, he told me that I had an enormous tumor. My world ended. 

I went to the hospital for immediate surgery. I had to leave my little daughter, still breastfed by me. I didn’t know if I would see her again… I cried and was scared to death. 

Thankfully, the surgery was successful! The doctors removed the 25-centimeters-large tumor and the ovary. While waiting for the histopathology report, I tried not to think about the worst. And then, the diagnosis came… 

The sun was shining. On days like this, nothing terrible should happen, right?... Unfortunately, it did. I came back home from the meeting with my BFFs. I even calmed them down about my condition. My husband came to me, and I already knew… He received a phone call from my doctor. The tumor turned out to be cancer…

I didn’t hear the rest of what he said to me. That day, CANCER punched me in the face for the first time. I collapsed and couldn’t get up. I felt I lost the battle. 

I surrendered. 

I didn’t put up a fight. But deep down, I knew I had to, for my family! So I started the treatment. I took a challenge and prepared for the fight, although it wasn’t easy. 

Standing before the medical council, I became just another case to them. Not a human being with feelings going through the worst time of life… I was about to undergo my first cycle of chemo for ovarian cancer. I was told that after four cycles, I would have another surgery followed by chemo. I was speechless.

When the first dose of chemo ran into my veins, I thought I would die. Fortunately, my husband was by my side. He held my hand, and we fell asleep in chairs. Two weeks later, cancer stroke me for the second time - I started losing my hair. It was time to shave my head, so I asked my husband. I covered the mirror and cried. I promised myself it was the last time because of hair. After all, life mattered the most! 

Another surgery was in December. Cancer didn’t give up on me, but I didn’t surrender. A follow-up PET scan showed two bright spots, which required examination. 

I underwent a colonoscopy. It showed a polyp which was removed for histopathology. When the report came, I learned that my cancer was invasive! I drove to see the surgeon, who looked at my medical documents and began to consult other doctors… I was scared! He said something about removing part of my colon, performing an ostomy, and intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

It made me burst into tears… 

At the beginning of April, I underwent surgery, and other procedures mentioned above, excluding the ostomy… Everything went well, which made me happy. Unfortunately, it turned out that cancer hadn’t been removed entirely. I required another chemo. 

This time, it was targeted at my colon, where cancer had started!   

I learned that ovarian cancer was metastatic colon cancer! It was another depressing news for me…

I found chemotherapy the worst part of cancer. It felt worse than ever. The first CT scan performed in August showed no changes, and the one in December did - in the peritoneum!  How much can one person bear?  

We searched for every possible solution to win this battle. I consulted many specialists, switched hospitals, and underwent another surgery and chemo. It turned out that my cancer was inoperable… 

I have recently started another chemotherapy in Brzeziny near Łódź. So far, cancer is still winning… It strikes me again and again. I decided I won’t give up this time. I must strike back. I’ve put on my gloves, and I’m ready to fight.  

My 2-year-long journey with cancer, doctor’s appointments, and cancer patients opened my eyes and gave me a different perspective. If we knew what we know now, our attitude toward the treatment would be different. Recently, I completed my conventional therapy with supportive care. 

Until now, we could afford a decent living. 

However, when I lost my job, went on a disability pension, resumed treatment in a different city, and implemented expensive supportive care (monthly cost of 10,000 zlotys), we have run out of funds… 

I’ve always been against launching a fundraiser, especially when we could afford the treatment. I was worried about other people’s opinions. What if they found out I’m sick? 

At the current therapy stage, I don’t give it much thought. I have my priorities. All I dream of is staying alive for my daughter, husband, and the closest family. They are the reason not to give up and fight cancer! I’m motivated and will appreciate every little donation! 

A year ago, I wrote a letter to my daughter for her 18th birthday. Although I believe I will still be there when she opens it… I hope to witness every crucial moment of her life, and I don’t want to become just a memory… 

*The amount to raise is estimated.