Hello everyone, I am starting this petition on behalf of the Kramer Family for their daughter Shayna Kramer. She is currently battling a extremely rare form of cancer called Chondrosarcoma. She is an extremely strong and resilient twenty-eight year old woman whom has been battling with this disease for over three years. I have known her and her kin for almost eight years and they are a second family to me and it pains me to no end to see the struggles that they have and are enduring.

The Kramer Family is not in need of money or donations of any kind but, instead for anyone who can share and sign this petition to do so.

Shayna has bounced back from setback after setback due to this cancer and has become a stronger individual each and every time. But, as of two weeks ago the unthinkable occurred. LESS THAN A MONTH after successfully completing radiation treatment for this horrific cancer, it reared its ugly head again.  Shayna had to endure surgery to repair two holes in her bowel and had radiation to address the tumors in her brain. She was also on a respirator for a period of time but, thank goodness had been able to breathe on her own again. 

The glimmer of hope in this tragic situation is that there is an experimental study/treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York that could potentially provide a LIFE-SAVING treatment for her cancer. All the Center is required to do is utilize a tissue sample from her to test for a protein called ROR2. The awesome thing is they ALREADY HAVE A TISSUE SAMPLE FROM HER!!!! If her tissue sample tests positive for this gene she would be one step closer to qualifying for the treatment/study. Thus, Shayna would be looking at hopefully living a cancer-free and healthy life. On top of that amazing outcome, her participation in the study if successful would help many other individuals suffering from this deadly and extremely rare cancer!!!!!

But, here is the dilemma - Shanya is required to provide consent in person. She has just undergone surgery to remove tumors from her brain and was just taken off of a respirator about week ago. On top of that, she resides in Maryland and due to her fragile state is in NO condition to make the journey to New York by ANY transportation means.

Despite the doctors John Hopkins in Baltimore and  Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center appealing to the Sloan Kettering IRG: Internal Review Board TWICE, Shayna's request consent to the experimental treatment/study in writing, through legal proxy, or even Facetime/Videoteleconferencing have been DENIED!! 

What needs to happen to give Shayna a fighting chance is for her to be granted the permission to provide REMOTE CONSENT to the potentially life-saving testing to be conducted. If not that option,  allow for her parents which have medical Power of Attorney to consent on her behalf.  We would like to ensure that she does indeed possess the ROR2 protein before subjecting her to a grueling journey to New York with the delicate state that she is currently in.

I hope that those who have taken the time to read this understand the urgency and importance of Shayna's situation. Please sign our petition in hopes of changing the minds of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Internal Review Board. I wholeheartedly believe that the experimental treatment, if she qualifies is the BEST hope at potentially providing Shanya with a Cancer-Free life. Thank you All in advance!!!