Whitney's Cancer Treatment
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Whitney is a wonderful, strong, and inspiring 25-year-old woman. She has a story you've heard many times, but with circumstances you would never begin to fathom. She had a bright future ahead of her, with big plans to begin her adult life. She was a bookworm and guitar player. She loved to write and practiced her own novel work. Her dad always pegged her to be a librarian. She graduated with a 3.75 GPA from Capital High in the 2008 graduating class. She was going to go to college, pursue a career in journalism, and start the life that everyone plans for themselves when they're fresh out of high school.
Shortly after graduation, come 2009, Whitney was being treated for allergies and sinus infections due to a runny nose and watery eye on the left side. After no signs of improvement, doctors ordered a CT scan of her head in 2010, revealing a kiwi-sized tumor in the sinus. At the age of 19, Whitney was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, a soft tissue cancer that can attack multiple locations in the body. In the case of the sinus cavity, it is a peculiar and rare form of the disease; unfortunately it is also particularly aggressive.
Treatment began as standard protocol: surgery to remove the tumor & a 35-day radiation therapy regime; certain types of cancers do not react to chemotherapy procedures and as luck would have it, this is one of those forms. Due to the tumor's advanced vascularity, Whitney had to travel to OHSU in Portland, Oregon to have her surgery completed by Dr. Peter Anderson, MD. The prognosis was stellar, and although the surgery had cost her sense of smell, Whitney was back on track to lead a full, healthy life. They were cancer-free and over the moon. However, the high from the positive prognosis would be fairly short-lived.
Within a two-year period of being declared cancer-free, the disease recurred four times. During the 4th recurrence, the tumor had extended into the optic nerve, costing Whitney her left eye. Surgery to remove her eye was done on her 22nd birthday. Radiation began again, twice daily, for another 35 days. During recovery from this procedure, Whitney contracted MRSA and spent roughly a month in the ICU.
Come Thanksgiving of 2013, at a regular scan, Whitney's cancer recurred for a 5th time. A small recurrence with a kick: the tumor had drop-metastasized to the area next to the brain stem. In other words, a single cell ran away with itself and found a new home. Surgical treatment was set for the end of January 2014 in Portland with Gamma radiation applied to the metastasized mass to reduce its size; although the procedure went as planned, post-op complications resulting from two failed replacement grafts, three Cerebral-Spinal fluid leaks, and infection in the bone of the skull required an additional 14 surgeries be completed. The infection in the bone resulted in the left side of her forehead being removed and another operation to repair the dehisced incision.
After a long recovery, we are due back in Portland for surgery on July 16, 2015 to remove the metastasized mass at the base of her brain stem. The tumor has lay dormant for some time, but definitive indicators of tumor growth were identified in February and again in May. The procedure is called a petrosal craniotomy, and has been described to us by the doctors as the most complex surgery that can be performed by a neurosurgeon. If the operation goes smoothly, another round of Gamma radiation will be completed after she has had a decent recovery time.
I have had the great honor to mature and grow up with her, and have gained the fortunate perspective of being what I can only describe as the bystander to a horrible accident: Seeing a real life nightmare happen to an undeserving party, and watching helplessly to the carnage that unfolds. One round of cancer is enough to kill a person, but to be on the living end of your sixth occurence is the definition of strength. Whitney has been drowned in bad luck and medical expenses, and she'll need any help she can get. We want to give her a starting point on the new life she'll lead once we've beaten this thing, and we thank you for helping us get her there.
Shortly after graduation, come 2009, Whitney was being treated for allergies and sinus infections due to a runny nose and watery eye on the left side. After no signs of improvement, doctors ordered a CT scan of her head in 2010, revealing a kiwi-sized tumor in the sinus. At the age of 19, Whitney was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, a soft tissue cancer that can attack multiple locations in the body. In the case of the sinus cavity, it is a peculiar and rare form of the disease; unfortunately it is also particularly aggressive.
Treatment began as standard protocol: surgery to remove the tumor & a 35-day radiation therapy regime; certain types of cancers do not react to chemotherapy procedures and as luck would have it, this is one of those forms. Due to the tumor's advanced vascularity, Whitney had to travel to OHSU in Portland, Oregon to have her surgery completed by Dr. Peter Anderson, MD. The prognosis was stellar, and although the surgery had cost her sense of smell, Whitney was back on track to lead a full, healthy life. They were cancer-free and over the moon. However, the high from the positive prognosis would be fairly short-lived.
Within a two-year period of being declared cancer-free, the disease recurred four times. During the 4th recurrence, the tumor had extended into the optic nerve, costing Whitney her left eye. Surgery to remove her eye was done on her 22nd birthday. Radiation began again, twice daily, for another 35 days. During recovery from this procedure, Whitney contracted MRSA and spent roughly a month in the ICU.
Come Thanksgiving of 2013, at a regular scan, Whitney's cancer recurred for a 5th time. A small recurrence with a kick: the tumor had drop-metastasized to the area next to the brain stem. In other words, a single cell ran away with itself and found a new home. Surgical treatment was set for the end of January 2014 in Portland with Gamma radiation applied to the metastasized mass to reduce its size; although the procedure went as planned, post-op complications resulting from two failed replacement grafts, three Cerebral-Spinal fluid leaks, and infection in the bone of the skull required an additional 14 surgeries be completed. The infection in the bone resulted in the left side of her forehead being removed and another operation to repair the dehisced incision.
After a long recovery, we are due back in Portland for surgery on July 16, 2015 to remove the metastasized mass at the base of her brain stem. The tumor has lay dormant for some time, but definitive indicators of tumor growth were identified in February and again in May. The procedure is called a petrosal craniotomy, and has been described to us by the doctors as the most complex surgery that can be performed by a neurosurgeon. If the operation goes smoothly, another round of Gamma radiation will be completed after she has had a decent recovery time.
I have had the great honor to mature and grow up with her, and have gained the fortunate perspective of being what I can only describe as the bystander to a horrible accident: Seeing a real life nightmare happen to an undeserving party, and watching helplessly to the carnage that unfolds. One round of cancer is enough to kill a person, but to be on the living end of your sixth occurence is the definition of strength. Whitney has been drowned in bad luck and medical expenses, and she'll need any help she can get. We want to give her a starting point on the new life she'll lead once we've beaten this thing, and we thank you for helping us get her there.
Organizer
Tesa Crist Morrow
Organizer
Boise, ID