Welcome to Shelly's Foundation

CURING APPENDIX CANCER CONNECTION

MY NAME IS SHELLY SMITH...

I am a stage IV Appendix Cancer Survivor, recipient of the HIPEC treatment and the founder of SFCACC. When diagnosed with cancer, it has a life changing effect on not only yourself, but your whole family as well. Processing and dealing with this challenge can be overwhelming. To have had someone with similar diagnosis to talk to would have been a tremendous help. My husband would have benefited to have had this support too. One component of our mission is to provide a means in which to give this very important support to all those in need.

Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC), is a type of hyperthermia therapy used in combination with surgery in the treatment of advanced abdominal cancers. In this procedure, warmed anti-cancer drugs are infused and circulated in the peritoneal cavity (abdomen) for a short period of time.

The chemotherapeutic agents generally infused during IPHC are mitomycin-C and cisplatin.

The mission of Shelly’s Foundation Curing Appendix Cancer Connection (SFCACC) is to raise awareness, educate and support patients and their families and to provide research. Our main purpose is to help those diagnosed with specific cancers such as Appendix, Colon, Mesothelioma, Ovarian and Liver through the unique treatment process of Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC).

My name is Kathy Regan, and my husband Dave and I have five children from 8-18. I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Appendix Cancer in March of 2014, and thanks in part to 53 rounds of chemo (and counting!) and three major surgeries, one with and two without HIPEC, I have beaten the odds and maintain a high quality of life while my disease is stable. The one thing that many do not consider when someone is battling cancer long term is the financial ramifications. Just meeting monthly bills can be challenging, and holidays can be very stress inducing as families such as mine struggle to figure out how to provide for their children.

Shelly's Foundation chose our family this season to adopt at Christmas, and I can honestly say we truly believe in the magic of the season thanks to all the volunteers and donors that came together to make our holiday incredibly special. No detail was spared, and extra attention was paid to making sure that other needs such as groceries, gas, and things we could do as a family to make memories were met as well. It is particularly special for me knowing that Shelly shares not just my particular rare diagnosis, but also a passion for helping others. I know that she and the board members will do great things in the future!

From A Friend Of Shelly's Foundation

— Kathy Regan