WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY | Valley Station community holds fundraiser for woman fighting cancer

Valley Station community holds fundraiser for woman fighting cancer

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - On Saturday, the VFW Post #1181 and Ladies Auxiliary held a fundraiser for a woman fighting pancreatic cancer.Fifty seven-year-old Brenda Silveria was diagnosed more than a year ago. She was cancer free for six months, but the cancer came back.

In order to help Silveria pay for the bills for her treatment, the Valley Station community joined forces to raise money for her. Silveria said her latest treatment, known as Stereotactic Radiation, will cost her $30,000. Silveria said she had a total of 4 treatments, that her insurance does not cover, because the procedure is so new.

Silveria's fundraiser was from 3p.m. until midnight at the VFW post on Blevins Gap Road. David Madden has been a member of VFW #1181 for 2 years. He said his fiancee has known Silveria for many years and they wanted to help her any way they could. "She's been a real good friend to us and we've been trying to help her any way we can," Madden said.

Silveria's son, Brad, was one of the main organizers of the event. He said seeing his mom fight cancer has been one of the hardest experiences of his life. "It's hard watching somebody that.....your whole life they've been the strongest person [and] to watch them to really struggle to even breathe -it's really hard," Brad Silveria said.

Silveria said she has already received bills adding up to $10,000. She isn't sure how she is going to pay for the full amount if the fundraiser doesn't get her all the money she needs. "I don't know what I'll do. I have to see. [I] just have to wait and see," she said.

Brad Silveria hopes today's fundraiser will ease her current financial struggle. "She said she's going to live forever and I hope she does. But what she has left....we want it to be good and have a great rest of it," he said.

Many people gave Silveria words of encouragement at the fundraiser, including David Madden. He had rectal cancer and has been cancer free for the past 5 years. "I told her not to give up [to] just hang in there with us," Madden said.

Silveria said she is hanging in there and appreciated all the support from her community. "All these people are saying prayers for me. So you know, that's what you need," she said with a smile.

Silveria has a doctor appointment in the beginning of December to find out if the treatment worked.