Calgary woman diagnosed with severe breast cancer raising money in hopes of extending life

Donna Ouellette believes a treatment, only available in Germany, will be able to extend her life to spend as much time as she can with her family, including her grandson Phoenix. (Supplied)

A Calgary woman diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer is turning to what she says is her final option to extend her life.

In October 2016, Donna Ouellette was diagnosed with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (mTNBC).

“When I got my diagnosis, it was like I had no emotions whatsoever,” Ouellette said.

She began chemotherapy in January 2017, which she continued for eight years.

In April, she stopped chemotherapy.

“There’s no chemotherapies left for me, so I am dying,” Ouellette said. “Things are just not good.”

In 2019, Ouellette’s diagnosis worsened to metastatic triple negative breast cancer. Her cancer has now spread to her liver, lungs and paratracheal lymph nodes.

“My only option at this point to do is an immunotherapy that is custom with all my DNA to either kill the cancer cells that are there or give me the opportunity to have further years with my family.”

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So Ouellette and her family are trying to raise $200,000 to seek treatment at the Immun-Onkologisches Zentrum Köln (IOZK) facility in Cologne, Germany.

“If we’re able to raise the money for my mom, that would mean the world to me and to my family,” said Donna’s daughter, Nevada Ouellette.

Dr. Stefaan Van Gool, who is on the IOZK staff, has worked as a pediatric oncologist and neurologist. He’s now in immunotherapy.

He describes mTNBC as one of the more aggressive forms of breast cancer.

“It has the capacity to metastasize at several locations in the body,” Van Gool said. “Stage 4 is when the tumor spreads the most.”

‘I’m not ready to die’

According to Van Gool, the IOZK treatment would aim to strengthen and activate Ouellette’s immune system, should she seek immunotherapy help at the facility.

“We have the approval to produce these autologous dendritic cell vaccines as advance therapy, medicine products for use in the patient so we can try to vaccinate this patient with her cells against her cancer,” said Van Gool.

He says the site is able to offer the special type of treatment due to legislation and regulations.

There is no guarantee the treatment would work, but Van Gool says there is chance.

“I’m not ready to die,” Ouellette told CTV News.

She wants to be around longer to watch her grandchild, Phoenix, grow up.

Nevada, who is Phoenix’s mom, couldn’t agree more.

“My mom has given her whole life to kids,” she said. “She was everybody’s mom growing up.”

“Now I’m just pleading for her to have this opportunity so she can enjoy the good things in life.”