Melanie's Kick Cancer Fund



Cancer Sucks

My mother Melanie (left) and my sister Emma (right) were both diagnosed with cancer within 2 weeks of each other.

Melanie (my wonderful mother and Grandmother of 3) thought she had a simple UTI. She went to the doctor expecting an antibiotic and instead was told that she had a "mass" in her bladder. After a biopsy, she was diagnosed with stage II bladder cancer. What we thought was 1 tumor turned out to be 10. She is currently recovering from surgery. 

Emma (the best "seester" in the world) had been feeling run down for a few months. After making the difficult decision to leave her position as a Nanny to make her health a priority, she became violently ill and was rushed to Urgent Care. After a brief exam, it was determined that her illness was too severe to be treated there and she was transferred to the Emergency Room. The doctors in the ER quickly admitted her for further testing.  It only took 2 days for them to tell us the words that no one wants to hear, "You have cancer". Unlike our mother, Emma's cancer didn't come with a plan of surgery. Surgery was not an option. There was no cure. Emma was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic colorectal cancer. Further tests showed that it had spread to her liver. Genetic marker testing mapped her specific type of cancer and determined that chemotherapy was a treatment option. Chemo came with a host of side effects. Emma lost her brave battle with cancer just 3 months after her diagnosis, on August 22, 2017.

Due to the severity of this situation we are asking for your support in raising funds to help Melanie pay for her treatment. Melanie is retired and unable to work at this time. With your help the burden of medical expenses will be lifted.

For other way to help, and to get real-time updates, please follow Melanie's continued journey at:

https://www.caringbridge.org/public/emmamelaniearellano

Much Love-
Sarah