Family of local woman battling stage 4 cancer try to make the most of time left

After a local woman was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer, her family and community are rallying around her to try and make the most of the time she has left.

Donna received her official diagnosis in February of last year, and it has since spread to other parts of her body, including her lungs and her abdominal area. Her daughter says she has made it this far against all odds.

“Usually when someone has pancreatic cancer, they have around four months,” says Jessica.

Now, a year later, her mother is starting to lose her mobility and is taking expensive medications that aren’t covered in order to deal with the pain.

Jessica says that 50 milligrams of the new medication they started her on costs them $100, and Donna hasn’t been able to work for awhile, so the only income they have is small government payments. Jessica says her father is also battling cancer.

Jessica describes her mother as positive, despite her battle with the disease.

“Mentally she’s positive. She’s in good spirits most days. Some days are a little more difficult than others,” says Jessica.

Donna’s family and friends are doing the best they can to keep her comfortable, and as a long-time community member, Jessica says that the support they’ve received has been “overwhelming.”

Donna worked at the Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) for a long time as a housekeeper, and her former coworkers stepped up to help an old friend, fundraising $3,400 to pay for her medical costs.

“I want to send a huge thank you from my family and I to everyone that’s been there for us,” she says.

Additionally, a good friend of the family started a GoFundMe to pay for medical expenses for both Jessica’s mother and father. So far, they have raised more than $2,000.

Jessica says she doesn’t like to think about it, but the funds will also help give her mother a proper celebration of life when she’s gone.

Click here to contribute to Donna's GoFundMe.