AUSTIN (KXAN)– Local mother and Bohemian Bass Musician, Yawei is battling stage four ovarian cancer. Community members, friends, and family have banded together to support her through the fight by raising funds for her extensive medical bills.

Yawei’s medical journey

Yawei was initially diagnosed in the United States with a Hernia, after multiple delays it became apparent it was not just a Hernia but stage four ovarian cancer. By the time she was aware of the cancer diagnosis, the cancer had spread from her ovaries to other areas of her body.

With guidance from friends and family members, Yawei decided to get medical treatment overseas in Turkey, after discovering medical expenses in the states would be too costly. Following an emergency surgery, overseas doctors discovered the cancer had attached to her liver, and two massive tumors and many smaller tumors were present.

The doctors were able to remove 98% of the cancer but, micro tumors are still present. Yawei’s good friend Jason Burruss is staying with her in Turkey throughout this process and said she will still need costly treatment once she heads back home.

“She’s going to need anywhere from two months to four months of chemotherapy, depending upon the test results of the cancer type, which we’re finding out in a few days,” Burruss said.

It takes a village

When Yawei’s friends, family, and neighbors discovered the severity of her situation, they decided to come together and come up with a way to ease her stress. They decided to raise funds for her extensive medical expenses through a community fundraiser event and by sharing a donation AngelLink. They are nearly halfway to their goal of $35,000.

“We launched an event to raise funds for her at a local venue that allowed us to use the space for free as a fundraiser. Yawei has thrown many community events over the years focused on creating alcohol-free safe spaces for people to dance, enjoy music, and commune. So we’re creating an event for her that’s also similar to an event that she would have hosted as well,” Burruss said.

The community, Yawei’s friends, and family gathered on Sunday, Jan. 26 for the fundraiser.

“It’s kind of just giving back to someone who has given so fully from her heart for so many years,” Burrus said.

The events included a cacao ceremony, a silent auction, a sound healing ceremony, and DJ sets, along with a group visualization ceremony where attendees channeled collective intention toward Yawei’s recovery. 

“I’ve never seen a community come together to support one person or one cause as much as this. It’s been really beautiful to witness, I think it’s honestly something that the community needed. We all kind of came together to do something really beautiful for someone,” Burrus said.

Being proactive

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death among women according to the American Cancer Society. The ACS estimates about 20,890 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2025 alone. Michael Teneriello, M.D. with Texas Oncology-Austin Central and South Austin shared some tips on how women can stay proactive and stay on top of their health.

• Watch out for classic symptoms such as bloating, pelvic pain, changes in GI habits, and fatigue. Teneriello said it is best to visit your OBG or family doctor and express an interest in cancer screenings when you find yourself experiencing these symptoms. “Ovarian cancer is known as a silent disease until late stages and screening tests can be unreliable,” Teneriello said.
• All women should receive a yearly check-up, and annual cancer screening, according to Teneriello. “Pap smears do not screen for ovarian cancer. If there is a family history of ovarian cancer or a known genetic mutation in the family or the individual, then those women can be at high risk and screenings need to start while women are still in their twenties or thirties depending on the circumstances,” Teneriello said.
• If there is a history of ovarian cancer in your family you are more at risk than others, according to Teneriello. Teneriello said If you are aware of a genetic mutation such as BrCa gene mutation in your family this can also put you at higher risk.
• To receive treatment for ovarian cancer or even get checked for ovarian cancer health experts recommend seeing your OBG or family doctor yearly.