Staying Strong For Sara

We all have that one friend… the one that convinces us to do things we otherwise would never consider. For me, that friend is Sara Ianitelli. I met Sara 15 years ago at Children’s Hospital of Michigan as we were both starting our first job as RN’s on the burn unit. Over the years, this girl has twisted my arm to go white water rafting, swim with dolphins, ride a mechanical bull, ski down some of the tallest mountains, and literally jump off a cliff with her… just to name a few. Even through my hardest times in life, she has pushed me and encouraged me when I didn’t think I could take another step forward.Now it’s time for me to repay all of Sara’s generosity, support, and encouragement. Sara is just beginning to fight the biggest battle of her life.I am telling this story with Sara’s permission as there are a lot of concerned family members, friends, and coworkers asking for updates, and it can be understandably overwhelming for Sara to relive this with each text and phone call… even though they are appreciated.Earlier this year, a mass was found on Sara’s right ovary by a routine ultrasound. Initially it was felt to be a benign cyst, but one test led to another and to another. A few weeks ago, it was determined that her ovary needed to be removed. Last week, she underwent a right oophorectomy (removal of the ovary). During this procedure, the surgeon noted some areas on her uterus, left ovary, and bowel that were concerning for cancer. Samples were sent to the lab and the pathology shows clear cell carcinoma, which is a particularly aggressive cancer which is not readily responsive to treatment with chemotherapy. On July 7th, Sara underwent a nearly 7 hour surgery to remove her uterus, left ovary, the surface of a portion of her small bowel, and to place a stent to her ureter. Official staging for the cancer will take approximately 7-10 days, but the doctor feels fairly confident that it is at a stage 2 in most areas. She will need to undergo about 6 months of chemotherapy after she recovers from the surgery to help prevent recurrence.Anyone that knows Sara knows she is a fighter. She is literally one of the most confident, generous, outgoing, and energetic people I know. If anyone can beat this… she can. I realize that sounds cliché, but those of you that know Sara well understand that if this girl puts her mind to something, she can move mountains… But she can’t do this alone. I am humbly asking for you to help Sara and her family through the most difficult time of their lives. There are mounting medical bills, a mortgage, utility bills, a car payment… and the list goes on… to be paid with only partially compensated work leave. Any donation is appreciated, no matter how large or small. If you are unable to donate, please continue to pray with Sara and for Sara. Please pray for the doctors and nurses caring for her. Please pray for her family and friends as we try our best to hold her hand and guide her through this nightmare.THANK YOU for all for your love, prayers, and continued support of Sara and her family. Please feel free to share this page to spread the word.Staying Strong for Sara,Cortney Mazur