Esther Suelzle's Medical Expenses

Our daughter Esther Suelzle suffered n injury to her T-12 vertebrate while doing a jumping drill in volleyball on Aug. 26th at Corban University. It was not initially diagonosed as a fracture, so treatment was not sought as a fracture but as a strain. Her back got progressively worse and  Saturday, Oct. 18th the vertebrate essentially collapsed causing severe pain and immobility. She was admitted to Salem Hospital and then transferred to OHSU where they performed an operation Monday to stabilize her back by fusing her T-10 & 11 to her L- 1 & 2 with rods. She is in much less pain now, but the cause of the fracture was initially thought to be Ewing Sarcoma but is Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma. It is a rare and aggressive connective tissue cancer that occurs primarily in children and adolescents. 

She will start treatment next week after the wound from surgery has time to heal. Survival rate is based off of whether the tumor is localized or has metastasized and how the tumor(s) respond to treatment. She has a long road ahead of her, but she has a great attitude and everyone in the hospital loves her. She is receiving great treatment at OHSU. We are devastated by this turn of events, but our trust is in God, and we pray that he will give us the grace and strength needed as we go through this ordeal. We need your support.

Please keep Esther and our family in your thoughts and prayers. Our family life has been thrown into turmoil. Jeff and Meredith Lewis are caring for Marilyn, Andrew and Rachel, our three elementary aged children. Elizabeth, Daniel and Benjamin are having to take care of more responsibilities as Teresa and I are gone most of time being with Esther.

Esther Suelzle has been diagnosed with a rare cancer called Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma stage 4. She has no classic cancer symptoms. The tumor in her back is a secondary tumor. They are doing a body scan today, Thursday, Oct. 23rd, to see if they can find the primary tumor. We will meet with the pediatric oncologist on Monday to determine course of treatment as it is a tumor that happens in children and young people. We are looking into other treatment options as well like traveling to Cancer Treatment Center of America for the best possible treatment. Esther took the news with grace and dignity and a determination to fight for life. She is our shining star. Please keep Esther in  your prayers as we face this difficult challenge in our family. As long as there is life there is hope. Our God is an amazing God and the giver of life. We look to Him to bring healing to Esther's body.