Submitted by Marie DiCristina

Join fellow Islanders in helping Irene with this fundraiser. Many know her as the much-loved, warm and vibrant former longtime owner of the San Juan Roasting Company at Cannery Landing in Friday Harbor. Irene and Steve Herring made the difficult decision in 2022 to sell the family coffee business to pay expenses. Steve has continued to roast coffee for the new owners and Irene worked a few days a week as the business transitioned.

Originally diagnosed in 2020 with breast cancer, she went into remission only to have it return. She completed a second round of treatments and was feeling good again having beaten breast cancer. The cancer returned in 2023 but in a different form with a more treatable diagnosis of multiple myeloma.

Irene is currently undergoing chemotherapy and is in preparation for a targeted stem cell treatment for Multiple Myeloma at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle. Her treatments will require both of them to live in Seattle for three months and in addition to out-of-pocket medical expenses, they find themselves struggling to afford the associated housing and living costs. Steve has lost wages as he has to step away from his continued coffee roasting job. The process will be long, difficult and expensive. She needs your help.

She has been a caring Islander for many years, contributing to all sorts of fundraisers and needs, many times for strangers. Always with a kind word and genuine smile, she welcomed everyone with nonjudgmental attention. Now is the opportunity to help this wonderful local woman in her time of need. You can truly make a difference for a fellow San Juan Islander. Kindly give what you can to help make this hard journey less of a burden.

Donations can be at any Banner Bank to the “IRENE HERRING MEDICAL FUND” account. There is also a GoFundMe account called Irene’s Multiple Myeloma Treatment and the link is https://www.gofundme.com/f/irenes-multiple-myeloma-treatment.