Friends of a Lynn Valley single mom are urging the community to support her after she was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 brain cancer.
On September 10, Karen Michel was admitted to the Lions Gate Hospital after experiencing significant memory loss that had been worsening for the past two weeks, according to a statement on www.gofundme.com. MRIs detected four tumors, which were determined to be an aggressive form of terminal stage 4 brain cancer, known as glioblastoma.
“Only one month after Karen’s diagnosis, her doctors have given her a prognosis of approximately six months,” wrote the organiser, Julia North.
Michel’s medical team decided that removing the tumors would be a very high-risk procedure as they are in her frontal lobe area. Removing them would likely cause her to lose all communication and comprehension. Performing radiation and chemotherapy would only cause more unnecessary discomfort and wouldn’t help in any progress or recovery.
“As anyone close to the Michel/Haraldson family could see, the discovery of this heartbreaking disease had been extremely taxing on Karen’s family and friends, both emotionally and physically,” North said.
“Any amount donated will not only offer Karen’s family a chance to let her live her final days as comfortably and happily as possible, it will also help ease the heavy financial burden of 24-hour care-taking, much of which has been ongoing already for her family and close friends for the past month.”
Donations will also go towards a celebration of life.
North said Karen had raised two kids as a single mother and established a one-woman business for dog walking and pet care on the North Shore.
“She is a symbol of strength and endurance, and is well-loved in the community. Karen would never want anyone to feel emotional stress and hardship on her behalf, being the selfless and generous person she has always been. Now is the time we can all show our compassion, love and gratitude to Karen and her family, through this tremendously difficult time,” North said.
You can make donations at https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-the-michelharaldson-family
Comments
NOTE: The North Shore Daily Post welcomes your opinions and comments. We do not allow personal attacks, offensive language or unsubstantiated allegations. We reserve the right to edit comments for length, style, legality and taste and reproduce them in print, electronic or otherwise. For further information, please contact the editor or publisher, or see our Terms and Conditions.