On the 25th of June 2017, I presented with food poisoning-like symptoms. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case- I was diagnosed with Gastric Intestinal Stromal Tumour Cancer (GIST) stomach cancer.
My name is Megan Heke I am 45 years of age, a single mother of two children - Jack (9) and Laine (6). On the 25th of June 2017, I presented with food poisoning-like symptoms, unfortunately that wasn’t the case - I was diagnosed with Gastric Intestinal Stromal Tumour Cancer (GIST) stomach cancer. At the time my youngest son Laine was 3 months old.
This cancer is a metastatic disease which has travelled to lymph nodes, liver & kidneys and surgery wasn’t an option.
My treatment to date has been oral chemotherapy started with Gleevec (Imatinib) in July 2017. This treatment worked for 12 months but then we started to see changes / growth on my scan results.
I commenced new treatment Sutent (Sunitinib) doing 4-week cycles on treatment and 2 weeks off. Unfortunately, the same has occurred; it worked for over 12 months and now we are seeing growth on the scan results.
When there was no other treatment options available, I was lucky enough to be accepted for a immunotherapy trial for which I had iv immunotherapy fortnightly for 2 years, this treatment was successful in reducing my stomach tumours in size slightly and keeping my stomach tumours fully stable.
In my recent scan February 2023 there has been growth in the liver tumours and another treatment was needed. I commenced on Qinlock and I had a severe allergic reaction to this medication, I am unsure now what the future holds in the way of treatment options.
I now need a new treatment, alternative therapies and a second opinion from a GIST Specialist in another state, however there is no funding / money to support this.
I’m a single mum who is unable to work due to cancer symptoms / chemotherapy side effects, therefore I don’t have the funds available to pay for my own treatment.
PLEASE HELP ME TO FUND MY TREATMENT, MY BOYS NEED THEIR MOTHER TO BE HERE FOR THEM.
I thank you for your support from the bottom of my heart this will be life changing 😊
Thank you to my Sponsors
$100
Anonymous
$250
Kate & Richard Vines
With our very best wishes.
$30
Fiona Townsend
$100
Bel & Richie
Love you Megs x
$50
Mk
With our love xox M & G
$200
Uncle Doc Aunty Rozeena
Arohanui
$20
Rhianna
$20
Anonymous
Best wishes for everything in your future, sending love and all the hope to you and your family.
$200
Teresa Green
I hope this donation will help you reach your target with the support of others. Stay strong. XX
$200
Anonymous
Praying for your recovery and for quality time with your family
$50
Petya Arabadzhiyska
$100
Christina T
So sorry you have to go through this Megan. Will pray the treatment is effective.
$100
Wendy Glaagow
Sending all our strength your way Megan, your boys are lucky to have such a strong resilient mother!
$100
Jay Tanrungruangtawee
Stay strong. I hope this message can help you feel a little better and bring a smile to your face.
$5k
Anonymous
$150
Peter Argiro
Sending you our love and strength, after being told there was no option for my wife we found a way ❤
$200
Nicole Rapone
I hope that this can help you out. My daughter has had Gist for 3 1/2 years also. With love xxx
$100
Traditional Herbal Remedies
Wishing you all the very best for a positive and healthy future
$100
Anonymous
Dear Megan, I'm a GIST patient too. I hope that this latest line of medication works well for you.
$30
Peter Giannopoulos
I wish you the very best with your treatments
$10
Anonymous
$5.15k
Jessica Pereira
Like the kind people who donated to me before, I am paying it forward to you. All the very best xo
$200
Anonymous
Go well, Megan!
$20
Anonymous
$100
Anonymous
I hope this helps you and your family.
$50
Anonymous
$20
Rahil A
$20
Anonymous
$50
Anonymous
All the best for success with the next treatment!
$50
Trish Palmer
$100
Trish Fehon
$100
Trish & Peter Feho
$30
Stephanie Gal
From one single mum to another, all the best to you and your boys
$50
Janice Lewis
Sending love and hope xx
$100
Anonymous
Thinking of you and your family.
$100
Anonymous
Thinking of you and your family.
$50
Amy Kiss
Megan you are an amazing, generous lovely person. Wish I could do more x
$50
Megan Howarth
Beat this bloody horrid disease girl.
$100
Jaulna Fereti
Thinking of you Megan
$200
Daryl Wade
I also have GIST, stage 4. What’s happening to you is what keeps me up at night, the meds failing. I hope this helps and feel free to reach out to talk. You got this.
$100
Fiona Townsend
Love you xx
$100
Leanna Sione
Megan. You are an absolute true fighter! Sending you love and healing x
$1,000
Anonymous
$100
Anonymous
You are such a great mum,keep positive xxx
$50
J Firth
Sending much love Megan
$50
Tessa Burgoyne
Sending you and your boys so much love beautiful Megan 🩵
$50
Allana Milfull
Kia Kahu Megsy. ❤️🙏
$50
Julia Carlomagno
$50
Joanna Adamson
Kia kaha, Megan, from a fellow GIST patient. I hope you find the medical support you need.
$500
Sharyn Clarke
Megan I hope this helps in some small way and that you get to have quality time with your boys this Christmas
May God Bless you and your family and heal you.