Health & Fitness
Former Patch Editor Needs Your Support, Encouragement
The 4-year-old nephew of Jennifer Kim Lee, Marple Newtown Patch's original editor, has been diagnosed with a rare and dire form of brain cancer.
Marple Newtown Patch's original editor Jennifer Kim Lee, who launched the site in 2010, needs the support of her hometown and former readers.
Jenn's 4-year-old nephew, Shane, was recently diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer.
On June 23, 2014, Shane was diagnosed with DIPG, or Diffuse Intrinsic Poline Glioma, which is a rare brain cancer that affects only children.
According to The Cure Starts Now, less than 10 percent of DIPG children will live longer than 18 months from diagnosis. Survival is rare and to this date, there has been no known survivors.
For Shane, doctors are giving him a timeline of anywhere between 6-15 months.
DIPG symptoms include double vision, inability to close the eyelids completely, dropping one side of the face, and difficulty chewing and swallowing. Unfortunately these symptoms usually worsen rapidly because the tumor is rapidly growing.
Jenn and her family, who are from Broomall, hope and pray that Shane will prove all the statistics wrong. The family continues to focus on the positive and fill Shane's days when he is not having treatments with trips to the zoo, amusement parks, sing-a-longs with his baby sister Audrey and visits with countless friends and family.
Shane's passionate tenacity, stubbornness, courageous, humorous, and bright personality will help with the rough journey ahead.
The Shane Campaign Facebook and Fundraiser page has been created on behalf of Shane's parents in hopes of spreading awareness about DIPG, offering encouragement and aid to Shane and his family, and sharing memories of Shane.
Jenn, a graduate of Marple Newtown High School, told the stories of countless members of the Marple Newtown community during her time as editor of Marple Newtown Patch. She now needs your help, to spread her family's message and need for support.
Find The Shane Campaign here and support Jenn's nephew however you see fit. Whether it be through prayers, donations, a Facebook Like or kind words of encouragement; Jenn and her family are thankful for every ounce of support.
