A mom from southeastern Manitoba is turning to alternative cancer treatment options abroad as she faces a terminal diagnosis, with friends and community members working to help fund the journey. Dixie Plett, 32, says she was first diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2024. After undergoing surgery to remove half of her colon, she believed she was in remission. But within the past year, the cancer returned and spread. Plett has since undergone a full hysterectomy, where an additional tumour was discovered. “I now have terminal Stage 4 colon cancer that has metastasized,” says Plett. She says her current prognosis ranges from six months to two and a half years. “The chemo that is available here is just to prolong, not to cure. There’s nothing around here that would help.” Because of the cancer’s location, she does not qualify for radiation treatment. Chemotherapy remains the only conventional option currently available to her in Canada. Facing limited options, Plett says she has been researching alternative treatments and has been accepted into a program at Hope4Cancer, a facility in Mexico that offers a range of therapies, including immunotherapy and other holistic approaches. “They offer a more natural treatment plan that has been shown to work for some people,” she says. She said she was encouraged after speaking with her co-worker’s brother, who had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and later sought treatment in Mexico, where his tumour disappeared. He has remained cancer-free for more than a decade. Hope4Cancer’s three-week treatment plan focuses on building the body’s ability to fight cancer using methods like sonophotodynamic therapy, bioimmunotherapy, vitamin C injections and other non-traditional treatments. “They do all kinds of head-to-toe testing as soon as you get there.” The cost, however, is significant — estimated at approximately $87,000 — and the timeline is tight. Plett hopes to begin treatment on May 25. To help cover expenses, friends have launched a GoFundMe campaign, asking the community for support. Angela Neufeld, a close friend of Plett’s, says every contribution can make a difference. “She is a single mom. She’s young. We want her to live,” Neufeld says. “If everyone can even give $5, it would help her get there.” Plett is the mother of a nearly five-year-old daughter, Libby, whom she says is her biggest motivation to keep fighting. “We’re going to go and try everything we can while we can. We’re not ready to throw in the towel,” says Plett. She says the support she’s already received has been overwhelming, with donations, prayers and shared messages offering encouragement during a difficult time. With files from Corny Rempel