Ariel's Fight: Facing Cancer Again

Recently my good friend Ariel was diagnosed with a SECOND cancer, in a years time. 2023 was a battle for her and her family. She underwent a hemi-glossectomy losing half her tongue, almost all lymph nodes, and her salivary glands. Her tongue was re-built using a flap built from her left arm. The surgery was extremely difficult. Then she endured 32 rounds of radiation to the head and neck area. This radiation treatment is notorious for being the most difficult radiation therapy with the hardest side effects. She had a feeding tube for six months and was bed ridden during radiation treatment. Fast forward to May of last year, her scans came back clean. We were over joyed and celebrated.

Then, this August, Ariel began feeling extremely uncomfortable in her ear/neck area and was seen countless times and it was written off as an ear infection. Ariel advocated for herself and kept pushing the doctors to investigate. 2 CT scans, 1 Pet scan, and a MRI later… her current team is now giving her minimal odds or surviving the THROAT cancer she has been diagnosed with. Surgery is not optimal in this scenario as she would never breathe, eat, speak or swallow on her own again.

Ariel is again advocating for herself and not taking that as her only answer. Next week she hopes to meet with Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN, to get a second opinion and the best care she can receive.

Ariel has an 11 year old daughter who is the light of her life. She has her partner, Jordan, who is there every step of the way. She has siblings, friends, co-workers, and family that are pushing to see her beat this.

Anything you can do to help support this beautiful family in such an ugly time would be so appreciated and honored. They need us.