It is a battle against time and cancer for a Thunder Bay woman, who is expecting this to be her last holiday season with her family.
Alana Perrier tells us she is battling what started as Stage four cervical cancer a year ago, which progressed to her head, then liver and pancreas. “They’ve given me 6 to 12 months, four months ago. But, when I first got it, they gave me a year, and it’s been just over a year now.”
She adds she has her up and down days. There are days after chemo treatments she feels more sick, but being on steroids helps her to feel better. “I feel bad because I can’t even sweep my house, I get too tired. I can’t do the dishes… well, I could, but I’d have to take 15-million breaks and I’d be there all night.”
She and her husband Shawn tell us everything was fine 2 years ago, she worked part time, he was working at Bombardier, when this came upon them, and life is now completely different. He tells us what makes this especially tough for him is how it is playing out for their 9-year old son. “I lost my mom when I was 8-years old, and our little boy is 9, and it’s playing out again. I’m dealing with what my dad dealt with then, along with experiencing what I went through.” The Thunder Bay native adds their son knows his mother is sick, just not how much. Shawn lost his mother from pregnancy complications.
Shawn adds the support, help and financial assistance they’ve received from family and friends has been overwhelming. He notes there have been times when they couldn’t keep up with bills. However, he wonders how things will go when his benefits from Bombardier run out once he’s laid off, adding it’ll get even tougher to pay for not only everyday essentials, but her medication.
You can click here for the GoFundMe page set up to help the family.
