Great news everyone! Because of your love and support, Dana is still here and fighting. You may have noticed this fundraiser has been extended. More on that in a minute but first, an update. I attended Dana's appointments with her nephrologist, endocrinologist and oncologist today. Dana's EGFR numbers are still dangerously low at 29. This means her kidneys are still in stage 4 failure. Since my last update, Dana's pheo tumor has grown 1 cm so because of that, her treatment regimen is going to change. She will begin what we hope is her last round of chemo sometime in the next month if they think she can handle the treatment. Dana really needs your love and support during this time. Anything from a simple text to socially distanced well-wishes would really help to lift her spirits. We are in the home stretch but as the saying goes we are not home free.

The good news is that even though Dana's kidney numbers are low, they have stayed mostly stable since my last update. Many of Dana's American friends understand how hard it is to pay for healthcare that insurance has denied coverage for in the US. Most of us who are not American are disgusted by the whole thing. Because Dana's tumor is part of her vascular system, once removed, she could be in the hospital for up to three months. This means that she is looking at close to $500,000 in hospital bills here in the US. With that in mind, her doctors and hospice provider have worked to set up the surgery and what they call aftercare through a program in Toronto, Ontario. Moving this surgery means Dana will be able to access in-hospital care for a fraction of the cost in the US. The additional benefit of this program is that some of Dana's best friends are all within an hour of this location. We all know about the lack of support that Dana deals with. Now, in the best case scenario, should she not have to stay in the hospital for three months, she will able to stay with people who will take care of her when she needs it the most.

What does this mean for the fundraiser? Well it means Dana needs just a little bit more help. Just 1300 USD will help make this happen. Dana will need to apply for a visa because her stay might be longer than what is allowed on a regular tourist visit. There are some expected obstacles with COVID predictions and borders she will need to start the visa process as soon as possible. As her friends, we want to help her avoid having to go back to the US side mid-treatment where she might risk not being able to get to the doctor because she can't get back across or has to wait 14 days each time. Dana will need to have the full amount for the stay, including the cost of all medical care, in order to qualify for this visa. Dana has also experienced a 50% increase in the cost of her current medications. This means saving for herself is now impossible. Without your kindness, it is likely Dana will not be able to make this happen.

Dana has said many times she would like to thank each and every one of you for making the effort to help support her through this. Thank you for your support.