Shannon Rider, a Santa Clarita Valley mom and full-time Verizon employee, was only given a few years, maximum, by her doctors.
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“The doctor said, ‘You have to start getting your affairs in order’,” she said, describing her reaction as “total denial.”
And now she’s living life like she doesn’t believe them, but she could use a little help, she said.
Click here to go to Shannon Rider’s GoFundMe page.
She was diagnosed with Stage IV PMP cancer, or Pseudomyxoma Peritonei Appendix Cancer, last year, with a prognosis of two to five years.
About 1-in-500,000 people are diagnosed with this type of cancer, according to the PMP Research Foundation website.
“I thought I had ovarian cancer. A cyst grew in my ovary — that was my only symptom,” Rider said.
The cyst grew to 19 centimeters in length, “about the size of a small watermelon,” she said.
Doctors did complete hysterectomy on Rider, but found that her appendix had ruptured and cancerous mucus cells were inside.
They took out the tumor, her appendix, the cancerous cells and part of her intestines and sent the samples to be tested.
She needed 22 staples after the surgery.
The results came back positive for PMP cancer.
“Funny, I don’t feel like I’m dying,” Rider said. “I’m not going to act like I’m dying until I feel like I’m dying.”
Click here to visit Shannon Rider’s “Ramblings of a Dying Woman” Facebook page.
After a couple months of being in remission, the PMP cancer came back just like the doctors said it would.
Rider decided that she would go through with a second surgery June 12. Her doctor has given her a 50 percent chance of the cancer going away.
Doctors will make an incision from her pelvis to her ribcage to remove the cancer, she said.
The wife and mom of three continues to work 45-50 hours a week to provide for her family, and her husband, Jeff Rider, said she’s “his hero.”
Shannon and Jeff Rider have three daughters: a 12-year-old, 13-year-old and 17-year-old.
Shannon Rider and her family are asking the Santa Clarita Valley community to help raise funds for her surgery and to help raise awareness about rare diseases.
“I have always worked for everything but I find my family needing help so I will humble myself and ask for help. I thank you in advance and pray that our story has a happily ever after,” Jeff Rider, who lost his job in the construction industry a couple years ago, said on the GoFundMe page. “I’ve never met anyone as amazing as my wife.”
The goal is $5,000, which will go a long toward helping the family with medical bills and the missed time from work for Shannon Rider.
In the meantime, she plans to keep working to help support her family while she hopes for the best.
“I’m just going to live everyday until the surgery and place my faith in the doctor and the treatment,” Shannon Rider said. “Some things do have happy endings.”
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Ozone therapy has helped numerous people with cancer survive. Downside….expensive and not paid for by insurance.
i read your story, dear Shannon and will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
Regards,
Joan
Thank you Joan
Perhaps her husband can find a job so she doesn’t have to work so many hours.
I agree with you. I feel sorry for her, but there are all kinds of construction jobs out there. I myself work in one, we are hiring everyday
I pray for Shannon’s total recovery and hope that Jeff is offered a job to support his family.
Surely there is a business in the SCV that can use or needs his skills !!!
I am praying for your healing. Our church, Havenhouse Church has a ministry of healing and we would be happy to pray for you as well. Our service is on Sunday at 10 a.m. 21617 Cleardale St. Newhall 91321.
Phone: 661-259-9558.
Thank you Darlene.
Prayers for you and your family Shannon. Have faith in the Lord and praying over the doctor and the community to help you.
Thank you Christine.
I want to thank everyone for their prayers and support…***update*** surgery date moved up sooner to May 8th…also Jeff has gotten a job with a local company however 25% of his wages are being taken to go to his halfway house even though he is living at home and has filed for financial hardship to stop them from taking his wages…
Shannon, when your story first came out I wrote to ask if you would try Alternative treatment to see if you could get a good result. I never heard back from you. I am offering my services to you. I have gotten good results on other with dire situations like yours. Give me all of April to see if I can turn your condition around. 661-993-8246.
I had my surgery on May 8th. They could not removee all of my tumors. I am on my 3rd of 6 chemotherapy treatments to shrink the remaining tumors.
This cancer is very hard to kill. My doctor is just trying to extend my life and has given up onbcuring me unless new treatments become available. My best hope right now is to get my tumors under control and manage this disease as a chronic illness.