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Karen underwent a left breast lumpectomy in May 2014 and a bilateral mastectomy in August 2014 as she has an extensive family history of breast cancer from her paternal side of the family. She has encountered numerous complications from the bilateral mastectomy surgery and breast reconstruction surgeries and suffered many breast and abdomen infections that just wouldn’t heal. She has had several operations to fix her wounds to no avail. She has been out on medical leave from her job at BP and has never fully recovered to return to work permanently since this time. She ended up seeing a wound specialist in late March 2015 who ordered scans and X-rays and the results couldn’t have been worse. Cancer was suspected. She underwent further scans and biopsies and the diagnosis was Stave IV extensive cancer with metastatic lung and bone cancer. She was referred to M D Anderson for treatment. She has since completed 6 months of chemo treatment that ended September 4, 2015. Her Medical Chemo Oncologist ordered a PET Scan to determine if the chemo treatments were successful at treating the metastasized cancer. The insurance company denied her request for the PET Scan. The doctor fought back with a peer-to-peer doctor review for the PET Scan and she was still denied from the insurance company. The Medical Chemo Oncologist ordered CT Scans and bone scans that came back with inconclusive results to determine if the bone cancer is still active. Karen was referred to a Medical Radiation Oncologist. Her next therapeutic treatment plan is to undergo radiation treatments to her brain, lymph nodes, chest, spine, left hip and sacrum. Since Karen has experienced severe bone pain that did not dissipate with chemo treatments, her Medical Radiation Oncologist ordered MRI scans of brain, abdomen, pelvis and left hip as radiation treatments could not be prescribed unless 100% assurance is given that bone cancer is not still active. The Medical Radiation Oncologist requests for MRI scans was once again denied by the insurance company. If bone cancer is still active, Karen will need to go back to chemo treatments. M D Anderson is now asking Karen to undergo these scans by paying CASH. Chemo treatments do not treat the brain and it is the nature of the beast for cancer to metastasize in the brain and liver as well as the lungs and bones. Karen’s Medical Radiation oncologist said she has a narrow two week window to start radiation treatments to the brain before her cancer starts moving again. Karen and her family cannot afford CASH prices for scans at M D Anderson and are researching the Houston Imaging market for more affordable CASH prices for these scans. I and my husband, Ruben Vaz are starting a fund raiser on behalf of my friend Karen Hurbrough to help pay for these much needed scans. Karen is reluctant to ask her friends and family for help due to pride and I’ve asked her to swallow her pride and let go and let God take over. Karen just needs a fair, fighting chance to continue to fight her cancer. She needs these scans so radiation treatment can be prescribed. Will you help me to help my friend pay for her scans so radiation treatments can begin?
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