GoFundMe raises $36k for Ascot Vale mum looking to beat incurable cancer with new drug
Ascot Vale’s Tien Polonidis has been given only five more years to live after being diagnosed with a rare, and currently incurable, form of bowel cancer. A new clinical trial is her last hope for survival, and here’s how you can help.
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Ascot Vale’s Tien Polonidis remembers the special view from her hospital room window.
While recovering from bowel cancer surgery, she could see the hospital room in which, just one year earlier, her prematurely born little girl was in, fighting for her life.
But while her daughter Lexi has made a full recovery, Tien hasn’t been so fortunate.
After more than 25 rounds of chemotherapy, surgeries and various treatments, her rare and non-curable stage four bowel cancer – diagnosrf in January 2018 – has worsened.
And now she’s been given only five more years to live.
The 36-year-old’s last hope is an expensive new clinical trial that costs $16,000 a month.
But even with a compassionate discount from the pharmaceutical company, Tien is still $8000 out of pocket every month, just for a chance to survive.
A GoFundMe campaign has been created for the brave mother to help with the costs, and has raised over $36,000 so far.
Tien said she couldn’t believe the outpouring of support from the community.
“I did not expect that to happen, it was just crazy,” she said.
“It’s just been amazing to have that, it’s unbelievable and I’m humbled and overwhelmed.”
The mother never suspected she had cancer after noticing some spotting after using the bathroom.
“I couldn’t believe it, I just said no way,” she said.
“You just have to stay positive, there’s not much else you can do.”
A year before her diagnosis, Tien gave birth to her daughter Lexi at only 27 weeks old.
She weighed only one kilogram and spent four months in the hospital.
Tien said she was most scared of leaving her daughter without a mother.
“I’m scared of not being there for her,” she said. “My husband could become a single dad.”
But even after everything, she said the diagnosis had given her a new outlook on life.
“It opens your eyes up a little bit to life, you don’t worry about the small things any more,” Tien said.
Since 2018, Tien has attended 180 appointments and the cancer has spread to her ovaries.
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The resilient woman had a message for anyone going through the same thing.
“I would say breathe and keep smiling, take a breath and stay positive, that’s the most important thing,” she said.
“People need to get themselves checked, you think bowel cancer is an old person’s disease but I was 34 when I was diagnosed and I’m 36 now and I don’t know if I’ll make it to 40.”
Catherine Tan, who created the GoFundMe page, said she was happy she was able to help out her friend.
“She’s a really strong person and she would never ask for help herself,” she said.
To donate to Tien’s GoFundMe, click here.