A well-known local journalist has recently received a diagnosis that turned her world upside down.
41-year-old Keri Coles, a multimedia journalist with BlackPress Media since October 2017, has been diagnosed with advanced metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.
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In a Facebook post, Coles states that the non-smoker’s lung cancer has spread and is not curable. According to her oncologist, people with her condition have a life expectancy of 6 months without treatment and 1.5 years with treatment.
“There is a small 10 per cent chance of responding well to treatment and surviving 5 years and beyond,” writes Coles. “That is obviously what I am shooting for. But as they say, plan for the worst and hope for the best.”
For Coles, the worst part of receiving this news is knowing that her young daughter will most likely be left motherless as a result.
Time to create memories
In the aftermath of sharing her diagnosis, a GoFundMe was created on Keri’s behalf.
“Any financial support you can offer will go directly to the Coles family to ensure they can spend as much time as possible together making life-long memories over the summer, as well as covering the costs of additional medical and naturopathic treatments for Keri,” writes account creator Sarah MacNeill.
The target amount is $50,000, and within less than a week, the fundraiser has received over $22,000, nearly half of the intended goal.
“Your donation equates to a most precious and priceless gift: Time. Time devoted to loved ones, free from the worry of a steady source of income,” writes MacNeill.
“Time spent slowly in new or favourite places, having new experiences. Time added to the journey, by affording expanded treatment options or medication. Time, many years from now, when her daughter will spend hours writing papers and studying to pursue a career in a field she has sparked a passion for.”
Click here to support Keri Coles and her family during this difficult time.
