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Fundraising campaign set up for Saint John senior Vern Garnett

A crowd-funding campaign has been launched to support a Saint John family struggling to make ends meet after a cancer diagnosis.

Florence Garnett of Saint John was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in April and has been off work ever since.

Vern Garnett, her husband and a well-known community volunteer, former district education council member and Green Party candidate, has exhausted his financial resources in caring for her.

He said the two have had "virtually no income" since his wife's accidental slip on the ice on April 13, which shattered her right femur and set in motion a series of tests that led to the discovery of cancer.

When she having surgery to put a pin in her leg, a doctor noticed other health issues.

"The orthopedic surgeon ordered tests and found it was breast cancer, and also found some spots on her bones," he said.

"It was very shocking, where it is my sweetheart as I call her, it is very difficult."

Despite initial support from the community, Garnett said they have fallen two months behind on rent and bills are piling up.

"Long nights with no sleep, the pain … it's just the emotional stress, the physical stress that's the most difficult," he said.

"Occasionally, you sit in the window and do writing and try to figure out how to get around this and the door opens and something happens."

GoFundMe campaign sets $5,000 goal

Terry Albright, a retired nurse, started the crowd-funding campaign through because she felt their story was a familiar one.

Albright's husband died in August 2013 from a rare form of cancer three months after his diagnosis.

She says she felt helpless even with all her experience in the medical field and can understand how easy it is to spiral out of control.

"There's more to it than making sure they've got good food and medication and all that. It's the whole psychological component," Albright said.

"It's not just the person with the actual disease, everyone in this family is battling cancer and they've all got to look after themselves and take special care in themselves."

Albright said she hopes to raise $5,000 for the Garnett family. By Thursday, $170 in donations have come in.

Garnett says he is touched that Albright has taken an interest in his family.

"Fundraising is very difficult in this day and age, I realize it in all my years of fundraising for education and health and environmental programs," he said.

"To have someone come along and step up to the plate brings a tear to your eyes."