The double miracle fund
Spende geschützt
What started as a fundraiser for my baby sister with ovarian cancer took on even more meaning and thus has become the "Double Miracle" fund.
Please read her and Arya's story and share if you feel compelled to do so.
My baby sister April is one of the sweetest and most selfless people I know. She is a champion for the underdog in life and has boundless resolve to overcome adversity in her life.
In October 2013, she was a single mother to an sweet amazing 6 year old son who she absolutely lives for and couldn't wait to have more babies when her prince charming came along.
She was working 2 jobs to support herself and her son and only reluctantly would ever accept any help from others.
On October 1, 2013 she went to the Emergency Room with abdominal pain and in a heartbeat her life changed. She had a large tumor in her abdomen and needed emergent surgery. The diagnosis: Ovarian cancer. The leading cancer killer of women with an overall mortality rate of 63%. She was terrified she would not behere to watch her son grow up. She immediately went into surgery to remove the cancerous tumor and her ovary.
During this, she lost her full-time job. She was one month short of Federal Medical Leave protection. She had no disability pay through her other job which she had just started. She had no income due to her illness plus a child to support.
Our parents stepped in to make sure she did not lose her home and could get her bills paid temporarily Until she could return to her part time job.
But we did have one miracle...her cancer was caught early. Only 18% of ovarian cancer is not at an advanced stage when diagnosed. She was in that 18%.
Unfortunately short after the initial hospitalization the emotional and financial toll began to creep in. Hospital bills, Dr visits, concern for cost of future treatments and surgeries and the nagging feeling that this might cost her the chance to raise her son and to ever have any more children if she even would find someone to take on such an uncertain future.
Right after her diagnosis she met her prince charming. They got married and almost immediately as if god intended it she became pregnant with her miracle baby. They both enrolled in college and were on the path to bettering their family's future.
Unfortunately, this type of cancer has a high recurrence rate and the only way to try to give April a 90% chance that her future will be cancer free is to remove the other ovary. This was scheduled to happen in tandem with the delivery of her daughter Arya.
As with her cancer, her pregnancy threw her a curveball.
Severe pre-eclampsia forced the emergent delivery of Arya almost 4 months before she was due.
My baby sister April is one of the sweetest and most selfless people I know. She is a champion for the underdog in life and has boundless resolve to overcome adversity in her life.
In October 2013, she was a single mother to an sweet amazing 6 year old son who she absolutely lives for and couldn't wait to have more babies when her prince charming came along.
She was working 2 jobs to support herself and her son and only reluctantly would ever accept any help from others.
On October 1, 2013 she went to the Emergency Room with abdominal pain and in a heartbeat her life changed. She had a large tumor in her abdomen and needed emergent surgery. The diagnosis: Ovarian cancer. The leading cancer killer of women with an overall mortality rate of 63%. She was terrified she would not behere to watch her son grow up. She immediately went into surgery to remove the cancerous tumor and her ovary.
During this, she lost her full-time job. She was one month short of Federal Medical Leave protection. She had no disability pay through her other job which she had just started. She had no income due to her illness plus a child to support.
Our parents stepped in to make sure she did not lose her home and could get her bills paid temporarily Until she could return to her part time job.
But we did have one miracle...her cancer was caught early. Only 18% of ovarian cancer is not at an advanced stage when diagnosed. She was in that 18%.
Unfortunately short after the initial hospitalization the emotional and financial toll began to creep in. Hospital bills, Dr visits, concern for cost of future treatments and surgeries and the nagging feeling that this might cost her the chance to raise her son and to ever have any more children if she even would find someone to take on such an uncertain future.
Right after her diagnosis she met her prince charming. They got married and almost immediately as if god intended it she became pregnant with her miracle baby. They both enrolled in college and were on the path to bettering their family's future.
Unfortunately, this type of cancer has a high recurrence rate and the only way to try to give April a 90% chance that her future will be cancer free is to remove the other ovary. This was scheduled to happen in tandem with the delivery of her daughter Arya.
As with her cancer, her pregnancy threw her a curveball.
Severe pre-eclampsia forced the emergent delivery of Arya almost 4 months before she was due.
On Sept 6, 2014 my sister's ovarian cancer miracle baby Arya Kennedy was born. She herself is a miracle, weighing only 1lb 6 ounces at birth. She makes this a double miracle.
Arya's Story ♡
Arya's Story ♡
Arya is our post cancer miracle baby. She is her mommy's last pregnancy. She is our tiny fighter.
Arya has an angel baby sister named Alivia Grace who was called to heaven 9 years ago. She also has a big brother named Jalen who is 7 who was also a 33 week NICU baby. This is her story.
After having so much trouble with her previous pregnancies Arya's mommy wasn't sure a third pregnancy would be possible but following her ovarian cancer diagnosis she knew she wanted another baby more than anything and would do whatever it took. Even though April was newly married and had taken on the role of step mommy to Arya's older brothers Zeke and Max and sister Natice she knew she wanted one more of her own. So she and her husband Darius decided of course they would try for another baby....a miracle baby.
Arya has an angel baby sister named Alivia Grace who was called to heaven 9 years ago. She also has a big brother named Jalen who is 7 who was also a 33 week NICU baby. This is her story.
After having so much trouble with her previous pregnancies Arya's mommy wasn't sure a third pregnancy would be possible but following her ovarian cancer diagnosis she knew she wanted another baby more than anything and would do whatever it took. Even though April was newly married and had taken on the role of step mommy to Arya's older brothers Zeke and Max and sister Natice she knew she wanted one more of her own. So she and her husband Darius decided of course they would try for another baby....a miracle baby.
So in March they found out that she was expecting and the dream was coming true.
The pregnancy was healthy and going well until 25 weeks when baby Arya started having trouble with her heart rate dropping. Then during week 26 April was diagnosed with severe pre-eclampsia. The closest level 3 NICU and OB ICU were almost 2 hours away so April was lifelined there for further care.
Her situation continued to decline and baby Arya was brought into the world nearly 4 months prematurely.
She is currently in the NICU at Riley Children's hospital, she is fighting just like her mommy, tooth and nail for life.
My hope is to raise enough money that April will be able to pay her and Arya's medical bills both past and future and make sure they can have a stable financial situation so April doesn't have to worry when she needs time off for future monitoring/screening or treatment.
Unfortunately with Ovarian cancer you are never considered cancer free and she has a 10% chance of her cancer returning and requiring more surgery and chemotherapy.
Also, April and her husband live neanearly two hours from where Arya is hospitalized and
the cost of travel to and from the hospital and other related expenses are nearly unmanageable.
Every dollar allows Arya's parents the ability to focus on being there for her without worrying. April will be able to be off work longer and spend more time at the hospital.
They predict Arya will be in the NICU at least 3-6 months.
Prayers are very much welcomed, they appreciate every dollar recieved as this next few months brings tremendous uncertainty financially and emotionally.
Every donation is one more dollar closer to healing financially for her family and preparing for her future, which is hopefully to come home and be loved by our family!
Thank you for reading our double miracle story, god bless.
-Jessica (big sis and pround auntie ♡)
Every dollar allows Arya's parents the ability to focus on being there for her without worrying. April will be able to be off work longer and spend more time at the hospital.
They predict Arya will be in the NICU at least 3-6 months.
Prayers are very much welcomed, they appreciate every dollar recieved as this next few months brings tremendous uncertainty financially and emotionally.
Every donation is one more dollar closer to healing financially for her family and preparing for her future, which is hopefully to come home and be loved by our family!
Thank you for reading our double miracle story, god bless.
-Jessica (big sis and pround auntie ♡)
Organisator
Jessica Sheldon Durbin
Organisator
Terre Haute, IN
