Shanna Kurtz of Cuero Texas was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma at the age of 20. Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that attacks the lining of the abdomen, and it is caused by asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma generally carries with it a life expectancy of less than one year, but Kurtz has recently celebrated her 32nd birthday.
After a 10 year battle with mesothelioma, Kurtz is now cancer free. She underwent surgery, dietary changes, supplements, and vitamin therapies before meeting with Dr. Paul Sugarbaker. Dr. Sugarbaker is well-known for his curative peritoneal mesothelioma surgery that is paired with heated chemotherapy that is administered directly into the abdominal cavity during surgery. Kurtz’s friends started the nonprofit “Cooking for a Cure” to help her pay for the $30,000 March 2009 surgery.
Kurtz is now paying it forward with her nonprofit organization called Communities Against Cancer, which has helped Hodgkin’s Lymphoma patient Evan Dromgoole with his medical bills. After 33 chemotherapy sessions and a stem cell transplant, Dromgoole’s bills total over $100,000. The organization is hosting a barbecue benefit this weekend to help raise money for his bills.
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