Skip to content
Join our Newsletter
  1. Home
  2. Local News

Cancer patient faces major surgery

There's nothing wrong with her leg, but Brittney Monks will have major surgery on it in the new year. Part of the bone in her lower leg will be used to recreate her lower left jaw bone that she will soon lose to cancer.
Christine Hinzmann
Brittney-Monks-cancer.22.jpg
Brittney Monks, 23, has osteosarcoma in her lower jaw bone and is undergoing treatment for the cancer right now. Boyfriend Ryan Van Kosky is holding a fundraiser Westwood Pub Nov. 27 at 6 p.m. to help offset expenses of her treatment. To go with story for tomorrow please and thank you.

There's nothing wrong with her leg, but Brittney Monks will have major surgery on it in the new year.

Part of the bone in her lower leg will be used to recreate her lower left jaw bone that she will soon lose to cancer.

Monks, 23, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma on Oct. 1.

A resident of Prince George, Monks is now staying with family in Courtenay to be closer to Royal Jubilee hospital in Victoria where she is undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

Sick after her first round of chemotherapy, she spent almost two weeks in hospital recovering. That put back her treatment, which includes three rounds of chemotherapy, ideally 21 days apart, before having the surgery.

The operation will be followed by at least a couple months of recovery and another three rounds of chemotherapy.

Boyfriend Ryan Van Kosky did the math and figures Monks, who was recently laid off from her job, needs about $12,000 for anticipated expenses over the next few months.

To help ease the financial burden, Van Kosky has organized a silent auction fundraiser and pub night at 6 p.m. at Westwood Pub on Thursday, featuring a ham and roast beef dinner and a live DJ to provide entertainment. Tickets are $25 each and all proceeds go towards Monks' expenses.

Monks was too ill speak to The Citizen because of her most recent round of chemotherapy but Van Kosky would like to thank everyone for helping her.

Anyone who wishes to get tickets or donate silent auction items can contact Van Kosky at 250-565-5138 and for those who can't attend the fundraiser and wish to donate can visit www.gofundme.com/BrittneyMonks.