Last September, Haigan Jordan Gandy was living life just the way she planned.
She had just married the love of her life, Justin, and was teaching art at a small private school in Sumter.
“Justin and I got married Sept. 20, 2014, and just a little more than a month later was when I found out I had the brain tumor,” Gandy said.
Haigan was diagnosed Oct. 31, 2014, but she’d experienced symptoms for at least five months before that.
“I started getting really dizzy in May 2014, especially after driving home,” she said. “And then, the headaches started. I went to so many doctors, and they would tell me I had vertigo, but I had vertigo before.”
After five doctors, Haigan was finally given an MRI.
“I was at school when I got the report that it could be up to five different things,” she said. “But I was told that none of them were really good.”
Eight months later, the 27-year-old Cheraw native has seen even more doctors and specialists, including neurologists, neuro-oncologists and brain surgeons.
“I’ve been to Duke and the Medical University of South Carolina,” she said. “We even sent my records off to a place in Arizona. All of them have said it’s inoperable. They say that it’s spread out. The malignant cells are mixed in with the good cells, so there’s no way they could take it out. It’s a tumor, but it’s not in typical tumor form.”
So thus far, Haigan said, she’s only gotten an MRI every two months to check on tumor growth. After four such tests, doctors have told her there has been no growth.
She said at the first sign of any growth, she will have to start radiation and chemotherapy.
“I praise God, Justin and I both praise God that there’s been no growth,” she said. “But the idea that I could have to have chemotherapy or radiation really scares me. It’s terrifying.”
Haigan said her faith in God has been bolstered by her illness, and that she has gained support through messages provided by and fundraising efforts started by family, friends and even her husband’s school district.
Justin Gandy is a baseball coach and social studies teacher at Manning High School, and his fellow teachers, his students’ parents and others have come together to raise money through “Candy for Gandy.”
“They’re just a really good couple who got the worse news,” said Amy Land, who was selling candy Monday and Tuesday at the district’s schools. “Haigan had to stop working because of the illness, and the medical bills are astronomical, even with medical insurance.”
Haigan said it’s possible that other doctors could review her case and possibly provide other treatment options.
“But insurance won’t cover the fees for the surgeon to review Haigan’s case,” says a flyer
for Candy for Gandy. “It is very expensive, but could possibly save Haigan’s life.”
Just the bi-monthly scans Haigan has at MUSC cost between $6,000 and $9,000 each, and she sometimes must have multiple ones per visit.
“Insurance only covers a portion of all of those fees,” sais a GoFundMe page set up for the couple.
Candy is being sold for $1, while Hope for Haigan bracelets are being sold for $3 each or two for $5. For more information on candy or bracelets, call Land at (803) 410-0998.
To donate directly, visit www.gofundme.com/hopeforhaigan.
