Update: Cynda had her first chemo treatment last week. Her next treatment is on Match 19th.
Update: 3/2/2019: This was a busy week for Cynda. She met with the medical oncologist (MO) on Tuesday and set up her chemo treatment plan. On Friday, she had surgery to place the cancer Power Port—-a portal in her upper right chest that will allow labs to be taken and chemo to be given in one spot. She will have 8 weeks of 1 treatment every other week. The two drugs used for this round are very strong drugs, in fact, one is referred to as “the red devil.” If it gets on skin, skin grafts are needed. Her parents must wear double rubber gloves to take care of her after treatment and she will be very susceptible to infections. After 8 weeks, she will begin a weekly chemo regime for 12 weeks. Tuesday is the first day of chemo. Thank you for donating and for sharing her story with so many people. Her co-pays are more than she thought: $100 per chemo session and donations will greatly help with those. She is trying to change insurance companies, but needs special permission to switch out of open season. She is going to go “live” on Facebook on Tuesday for her first chemo session. Thanks again, Kelly
Update 2/23/19: Thank you everyone for your donations and shares. Please continue to share these updates on FB, Instagram, and any other social media platforms you feel comfortable using to share. This week Cynda was busy creating a treatment plan with her breast surgeon. She will begin 3-4 months of chemotherapy very soon; we will know exactly how soon when she meets with the medical oncologist on Tuesday. The chemo will be followed by a double mastectomy, reconstruction, and radiation. On Friday, March 1st she will undergo surgery to place a cancer port in her upper chest, near her shoulder. This will allow each chemo treatment needle to be placed through the port instead of poking her for an IV each time. In her researc this week, she discovered that chemo will give her a natural looking, long-lasting tan...she’s excited about that. Always looking on the bright side! The cancer center here has sent her name to many charities. She has received her first chemo head wrap, a pink tree of life necklace, and many cards with personal stories. Thanks again for all of your genorosity and support. See you net week with a new update! -Kelly
As many of you know, our dear friend, Cynda, has had a rough eight months. In July, while in Indonesia, she fractured her ankle, fibula, and broke her tibia in a complicated spiral, open fracture. Additionally, she found out that her iliac vein was blocked and she had to have four stents put in to open the vein. This blockage caused her leg to swell to three times its size.
After 10 surgeries in four countries, she was ready to return to work and her friends in Naples, Italy; however, she was recently diagnosed with stage three, high-grade, primary invasive ductal carcinoma. This triple-negative breast cancer was diagnosed after mammograms, ultrasounds, biopsies, and MRIs and will not respond to hormone replacement therapy. She will see her breast surgeon and oncologist on February 18th, and we will know more about her treatment plan.
I will post an update then. As you would expect, Cynda is continuing to remain positive and cannot wait to kick this challenge, too. Cynda has not been receiving her regular salary since September and medical expenses are quickly depleting her savings.
Many people have asked how they can help. I have created this Go Fund Me donation site to help her with clinical trials, medication, and other medical expenses. Please consider donating so we can get Cynda home: healthy and happy.
Thank you,
Kelly Griffiths
Update: 3/2/2019: This was a busy week for Cynda. She met with the medical oncologist (MO) on Tuesday and set up her chemo treatment plan. On Friday, she had surgery to place the cancer Power Port—-a portal in her upper right chest that will allow labs to be taken and chemo to be given in one spot. She will have 8 weeks of 1 treatment every other week. The two drugs used for this round are very strong drugs, in fact, one is referred to as “the red devil.” If it gets on skin, skin grafts are needed. Her parents must wear double rubber gloves to take care of her after treatment and she will be very susceptible to infections. After 8 weeks, she will begin a weekly chemo regime for 12 weeks. Tuesday is the first day of chemo. Thank you for donating and for sharing her story with so many people. Her co-pays are more than she thought: $100 per chemo session and donations will greatly help with those. She is trying to change insurance companies, but needs special permission to switch out of open season. She is going to go “live” on Facebook on Tuesday for her first chemo session. Thanks again, Kelly
Update 2/23/19: Thank you everyone for your donations and shares. Please continue to share these updates on FB, Instagram, and any other social media platforms you feel comfortable using to share. This week Cynda was busy creating a treatment plan with her breast surgeon. She will begin 3-4 months of chemotherapy very soon; we will know exactly how soon when she meets with the medical oncologist on Tuesday. The chemo will be followed by a double mastectomy, reconstruction, and radiation. On Friday, March 1st she will undergo surgery to place a cancer port in her upper chest, near her shoulder. This will allow each chemo treatment needle to be placed through the port instead of poking her for an IV each time. In her researc this week, she discovered that chemo will give her a natural looking, long-lasting tan...she’s excited about that. Always looking on the bright side! The cancer center here has sent her name to many charities. She has received her first chemo head wrap, a pink tree of life necklace, and many cards with personal stories. Thanks again for all of your genorosity and support. See you net week with a new update! -Kelly
As many of you know, our dear friend, Cynda, has had a rough eight months. In July, while in Indonesia, she fractured her ankle, fibula, and broke her tibia in a complicated spiral, open fracture. Additionally, she found out that her iliac vein was blocked and she had to have four stents put in to open the vein. This blockage caused her leg to swell to three times its size.
After 10 surgeries in four countries, she was ready to return to work and her friends in Naples, Italy; however, she was recently diagnosed with stage three, high-grade, primary invasive ductal carcinoma. This triple-negative breast cancer was diagnosed after mammograms, ultrasounds, biopsies, and MRIs and will not respond to hormone replacement therapy. She will see her breast surgeon and oncologist on February 18th, and we will know more about her treatment plan.
I will post an update then. As you would expect, Cynda is continuing to remain positive and cannot wait to kick this challenge, too. Cynda has not been receiving her regular salary since September and medical expenses are quickly depleting her savings.
Many people have asked how they can help. I have created this Go Fund Me donation site to help her with clinical trials, medication, and other medical expenses. Please consider donating so we can get Cynda home: healthy and happy.
Thank you,
Kelly Griffiths