Ana's Medical Fund

Help me fight cancer in life and in the lab!
My name is Ana Maria Dmytrejchuk. For those who do not know me, I am a graduate student in the Chemistry Department at Auburn University in Alabama. In 2011, I traveled from Venezuela to the USA with the dream of getting my doctorate in Organic Chemistry. I was living my dream, researching the chemical synthesis of molecules for the development of RNA-based therapies for the treatment of several diseases including cancer. Unfortunately, on July 18th of 2017, I was diagnosed with a non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and I was forced to put science aside for the time being and focus on my recovery.


How did it start?
I remember feeling a pressure on my chest when waking up in the mornings.  My symptoms kept getting worse, and I started coughing every morning and before going to bed. I also lost my appetite and was feeling tired all the time. I visited the doctor, and I was initially diagnosed with pneumonia. I was prescribed antibiotics, but I kept getting worse, which drove me to the emergency room.  There, I learned that I had a big mass in my chest and had to spend five days at the hospital where they did a biopsy.  After many days of anxious waiting, the mass was identified as a diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

 Pushing through
I started my treatment immediately after I was diagnosed. I am currently on my 3rd round of chemotherapy, and I am expected to receive 6 – 8 rounds depending on the progress of the disease. My student´s insurance will cover part of the treatment, however, there is a relatively large out-of-pocket expense that I am responsible for. Also, my insurance does not cover the expenses for the anesthesia I received during the biopsy procedure and the chemo-port implant.


Because science and having a family have always been my passion, at my age, I am concerned about how I will fund the chance to have children in the near future. Erol, my fiancé who is also in graduate school at Auburn, and I were planning on having kids as soon as we both completed our doctorate degrees. However, this unexpected life event has made us delay our plans.  But we still have hope that we will be able to resume our plans in the future if all goes well. Since I started my treatment, I have been receiving a monthly shot of hormones with the goal being that I can preserve my ovaries' function throughout the duration of my cancer treatment. Unfortunately, this shot is also not covered by my insurance, and all these expenses add up.

My family, friends and especially Erol have all been a rock for me to lean on during this time, and I am grateful for all their support. I am hopeful that together, we will overcome this challenge, and I will do my part and continue my scientific research with the goal of one day helping to further the advances of modern medicine so others can avoid having to suffer through this disease in the future.

Awareness
I am sharing my story, first, because I want to make people realize that we need to stop and listen to our bodies, and we should not underestimate our symptoms.  The faster we get diagnosed, the better the outcome of the treatment. Also, I am asking for your help with whatever amount you can contribute with. Your generous donation will go towards the expenses not covered by my insurance and the treatment for my ovaries. Your support would mean the world to me.