Madeline Johnson
Donation protected
Hi friends and family,
Madeline is battling ovarian cancer. When finally diagnosed in August 2017, she had a fast-growing mass in her abdomen that had tripled in size in the last few months to about 6 inches in diameter. She'd had pain and discomfort for 8 months, but her condition was misdiagnosed. Once the right doctor (Dr. Dilgeet Singh, a female gynecological oncologist surgeon who is fabulous) got involved on 8/24/17, the system started moving VERY quickly. She had surgery on Monday 8/28/17, was in the hospital for 6 nights, and went home on Sunday 9/3. She contracted a couple of very bad infections that walloped her for weeks after discharge, but fought through those.
Mad has stage 3C (it’s now Stage 4) Serous Ovarian Cancer. The tumor was softball-sized and there was some cancer on her colon that they zapped with a laser. They removed most infected lymph nodes but not all. The remaining ones were high up in her abdominal area, wrapped around blood vessels and un-removable. They think this cancer doubles in size every 2-4 weeks, so it is aggressive, but the doctors expressed hope that chemo, directly into her blood stream, would zap them. Dr Singh said there is, in a case like Madeline's, an 85% chance of remission for 6 months to 2 years, maybe longer. (It is considered cured at 5 years.)
Chemo started on 9/28/17 and continued until 5/4/18. Mad lost her hair and it is still short and growing back.
After chemo, she had infusions of a drug called Avastin every 3 weeks, for the next 5 months.
In October 2018, chemo started again because the cancer was growing back.
In February 2019, with a determination that the now Stage 4 cancer was winning, she started a Phase 2 Clinical Trial through NIH, with a drug called Prexasertib (Prex). She currently gets infusions every 2 weeks. Unfortunately, they are completely walloping her and this is the hardest part of the fight so far. She is exhausted all the time, and has multiple painful and life-impacting complications. Unfortunately, the prognosis does not look good.
Madeline's income comes exclusively from her tutoring business, which still gives her the greatest joy (it is the best medicine out there), but has also been seriously impacted by this journey. Financial support is extremely appreciated.
With deep gratitude and appreciation for your care and help ~ THANK YOU! xox
Madeline is battling ovarian cancer. When finally diagnosed in August 2017, she had a fast-growing mass in her abdomen that had tripled in size in the last few months to about 6 inches in diameter. She'd had pain and discomfort for 8 months, but her condition was misdiagnosed. Once the right doctor (Dr. Dilgeet Singh, a female gynecological oncologist surgeon who is fabulous) got involved on 8/24/17, the system started moving VERY quickly. She had surgery on Monday 8/28/17, was in the hospital for 6 nights, and went home on Sunday 9/3. She contracted a couple of very bad infections that walloped her for weeks after discharge, but fought through those.
Mad has stage 3C (it’s now Stage 4) Serous Ovarian Cancer. The tumor was softball-sized and there was some cancer on her colon that they zapped with a laser. They removed most infected lymph nodes but not all. The remaining ones were high up in her abdominal area, wrapped around blood vessels and un-removable. They think this cancer doubles in size every 2-4 weeks, so it is aggressive, but the doctors expressed hope that chemo, directly into her blood stream, would zap them. Dr Singh said there is, in a case like Madeline's, an 85% chance of remission for 6 months to 2 years, maybe longer. (It is considered cured at 5 years.)
Chemo started on 9/28/17 and continued until 5/4/18. Mad lost her hair and it is still short and growing back.
After chemo, she had infusions of a drug called Avastin every 3 weeks, for the next 5 months.
In October 2018, chemo started again because the cancer was growing back.
In February 2019, with a determination that the now Stage 4 cancer was winning, she started a Phase 2 Clinical Trial through NIH, with a drug called Prexasertib (Prex). She currently gets infusions every 2 weeks. Unfortunately, they are completely walloping her and this is the hardest part of the fight so far. She is exhausted all the time, and has multiple painful and life-impacting complications. Unfortunately, the prognosis does not look good.
Madeline's income comes exclusively from her tutoring business, which still gives her the greatest joy (it is the best medicine out there), but has also been seriously impacted by this journey. Financial support is extremely appreciated.
With deep gratitude and appreciation for your care and help ~ THANK YOU! xox
Organizer and beneficiary
Grey Johnson
Organizer
Bethesda, MD
Madeline Johnson
Beneficiary
