All images from Sarah-Jane

Please find below an update from our GoFundMe page created to support animal advocate Sarah-Jane West who is unable to work while recovering from cancer treatment and struggling to meet basic needs. You can go directly to the GoFundMe page by clicking here.

Dear Friends and Supporters,

We are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of love and support we have received. Your generosity has been a beacon of hope during this challenging time.

Medical Update:

Sarah-Jane has completed chemotherapy and radiation treatment, a major milestone in her journey, but continues to struggle with the aftereffects of the treatment. These include radiation burns, nausea, extreme fatigue, fungal infections, mouth sores, and diarrhea. Most of the time, she is bed-ridden. This is not surprising given that it is only three weeks since she finished treatment. Her oncologist has said returning to work in September, as Sarah-Jane had hoped, is not realistic. The oncologist is saying maybe November. But her prognosis is good. For that, the excellent care she has received, and all the kindness people have shown, Sarah-Jane feels deeply thankful.

Financial Update:

Sarah-Jane is ever so hopeful, but she continues to struggle with the financial pressure caused by not working and needing to meet her basic needs.  At the time of this update, she has her camera up for sale and has recently added clothing to the list of personal items she has sold to make ends meet.

Personal Story:

Sarah-Jane is a fighter. She has been reading books on dealing with cancer, passes on important news pieces and articles regarding animal rights and welfare when she has the energy, is optimistic in her outlook, and practices so much gratitude!

We have already described some of the excellent work Sarah-Jane has done for animals over the years, but are sharing pictures in this update of a portable shelter for feral cats that she designed and built with the help of volunteers on Bowen Island. They made three of them over three weekends. They were home to three feral cat colonies with all cats spayed, neutered and fed. The shelters had the benefit of being portable. They could be carried by four people. Cats would bond to the shelter and the whole colony could be moved along with the shelter if needed. That meant people were comfortable having them on their property. It’s just one example of Sarah-Jane’s work!

Sarah-Jane tells us that the photo with the grey cat was taken when they first put the shelter up on someone’s property. The kitty went in quite soon afterwards to check it out. Sarah-Jane and the other volunteers all hid and just waited and watched! It made her feel happy and grateful for the free building materials they had gotten and the many volunteers who helped.

Message from Sarah-Jane:

She wrote the thank you note below to all the people who have so generously and kindly helped so far and asked we include it in this update:

“Sarah-Jane is deeply appreciative of those very kind individuals who have already donated to help her when the GoFundMe was first launched and so wishes to say a heartfelt ‘thank you.’

And to those three lovely people who sent her a direct transfer, she says thank you too so very much.

You helped her with getting groceries and paying her phone and other bills. And your donations were so welcomed and such a relief for her!

She thanks you from her heart!”

Sarah-Jane still needs your help. To donate, please visit her GoFundMe page by clicking here or go to: 

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-sarahjane-west-fight-cancer-meet-basic-needs