A Go Fund Me campaign has been launched for a young Newfoundlander in Montreal undergoing clinical trials to treat stage 4 squamous cell cancer of the tongue.

Chelsie Coombs was referred to an oral surgeon when a swollen taste bud was discovered on her tongue during minor surgery on her tongue.

Unbeknownst to Coombs, the referral was lost due to a clerical error causing a delay in her diagnosis and treatment.

She finally met with an oral surgeon in July of last year when the problem became worse, and a week later on her 30th birthday she was diagnosed with cancer.

Her father Allan Coombs says the only surgery available in this province required her having her jaw broken and would result in disfigurement, so she chose to travel to Edmonton for a specialized robotic surgery last fall.

She lost half her tongue, and muscle, nerves and blood vessels from her forearm were used to help rebuild her tongue.

Since then she has undergone numerous radiation and chemo treatments, but the cancer has spread to her lungs. Allan says his daughter is now in Montreal for clinical trials to treat her cancer. MCP does not cover costs related to clinical trials, He says the expenses are high and they’re looking for help with the costs.

Allan told VOCM Open Line he’s trying to sell his house to raise funds, but market conditions aren’t the best.

His daughter is unable to eat, so she has a feeding tube. A case of the mixture used to feed her costs $149, which she goes through every four days. In the meantime, they have to pay for all her dressings and equipment, not to mention living expenses while staying in Montreal.

According to a medical review published in Italy, the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue is progressively increasing, especially among young women.