#AwesomeAutumn vs cancer

You’re 18years old.

It's 2:00 a.m. on a weekday.  

Emergency Room visit.

Dr. walks in and sits down.

Looks at you uncomfortably and says, "I have some very concerning news".  "Lesions on your liver".

Time stops and you enter a confused state of mind.

Fast forward two days and you hear the Doctor say, "small cell carcinoma".  

Time stops again.

"What?" " What are you talking about?"  "What did you say?"

You see, this isn't happening to a 65 year old who has smoked for 30+ years.

No.

It's Autumn, my 18 year old daughter.  

Do you have kids?

Go hug them.  Right now. I mean it.  Tell them how much you love them and appreciate them.

My daughter literally had a stomach ache for about a week, which isn't really alarming considering she just started college.

It got worse, there was some vomiting and a trip to the E.R. sounded prudent. 

Little did we know how that night was about to turn our lives totally upside down.


This is Autumn's story up to this point.

She is 18 years old and just three weeks into her  first year of college, everything is, by all means, fine and well, you’re making new friends, starting your classes, learning your way around campus, you make the college volleyball team. Then, out of nowhere, you are diagnosed with an extremely, extremely rare form of cancer. Completely out of nowhere.

 

This is what happened to Autumn. Like I said before, the only symptoms were a stomach ache for a little over a week and vomiting once or twice during that time. Not unusual for a young woman off to her first year of college and all of the pressures that entails.

Apparently, this type of cancer is one which is typically seen in smokers of 30+ years. Small Cell Carcinoma and they’ve said she has symptoms of stage 4. Autumn has never, ever smoked or been around people who smoke. The Oncologist stated that he has never seen it in anyone under 35 years old and it is very, very rare. Autumn said, “I’m very rare”! Yes indeed you are Autumn. And rare people like you need to be around for a long time to brighten people’s lives and put a smile on their faces. Something you’ve been doing your whole life.

 

Autumn’s first Oncology appointment was on  September 28th, 2021 at U of M Mott Hospital. The doctors did not provide any answers, only more questions.  They ordered a CT scan immediately and results are awaiting.  A PET Scan is scheduled for Friday, October 1st.

So, no definitive results yet and no strategy treatment plan in place yet.

What we do know, right now, is that it will be a journey using a multi pronged approach utilizing modern western medicine and Eastern medicine along with a focus on spirit and mind. Updates will be provided once we know the exact details.

 

It’s expected that treatment, care and support will be an instrumental part in Autumn’s plan to health. 

 Support to help alleviate and cover the already mounting medical expenses, time off work, transportation costs and the additional drugs and therapies not covered by insurance are what is needed immediately.

 

Many, many of you have asked how you can help. Alleviating the additional financial stresses are the best way possible as this will allow focus on care, attention, emotional and physical support of Autumn.

 

Please share this fundraiser with others and donate as generously as you can.