Beat Mel’s Monster… Take 2!
Donation protected
Well, we never thought we would be here. Or, we hoped and prayed and held out breath for six years that we wouldn’t be here. Yet, here it is, and we need your love, prayers, and even financial support.
On August 1, 2017, my sister was diagnosed with a 1.25 inch brain tumor. Let me be clear about this. We are talking about an otherwise wildly healthy, organic eating, non-smoking, exercising young working mother. She is a 24-time All-American swimmer and collegiate record-holder. It didn’t matter. Brain tumors don’t discriminate.
After an unsuccessful six-hour operation in Cincinnati, we were told she had nine months to live. There were no options. They were wrong.
Following testing and using biological markers, we learned she has an ogliogliodindroma. In other words, a complicated mix of tumor cells with webs, all wrapped around her speech pathways. Remove it completely? They told her she would be mute. Leave it in? She would live day-to-day with a ticking time bomb in her brain. There were no good options.
A year of chemo, years of steroids and anti-seizure medication, immunotherapy treatments, and yet, the tumor has decided to “wake up.” For the past six years, Melinda and her husband Chris have flown to North Carolina every few months for the best possible treatment on the country. The DUKE Brain Tumor Center is wildly known as one of the best in the world, and the team has been amazing.
This Fall, on a return visit to DUKE, the team discovered a change in the makeup of the tumor. The cells were no longer asleep. Now they were “angry.” The cancer cells had returned. At this point, another round of chemo would not be an option. The immunotherapy trial didn’t work as well as we had hoped. It’s time for another surgery.
On December 6, 2023, Melinda will undergo her SECOND brain surgery. This time she will be under the care of Master Surgeon Dr. Freidman, the same man who operated on Ted Kennedy. He is our Hail Mary. He is our 4th and long. He is our Christmas Miracle.
As you can imagine, our family is under extreme stress right now. The year has not been kind, but we hold onto hope that it will end on a high note. Your generous contributions will help cover expenses not covered by insurance, additional medications, routine visits to DUKE, and the extended stay required in December.
On behalf of Mel and Chris and their sweet eight-year-old son Myles, my parents Jim and Betsy, and myself and my kiddos, Elizabeth and Andy, we are eternally grateful. Thank you for the love, prayers and support.
Gratefully,
Susanna
On August 1, 2017, my sister was diagnosed with a 1.25 inch brain tumor. Let me be clear about this. We are talking about an otherwise wildly healthy, organic eating, non-smoking, exercising young working mother. She is a 24-time All-American swimmer and collegiate record-holder. It didn’t matter. Brain tumors don’t discriminate.
After an unsuccessful six-hour operation in Cincinnati, we were told she had nine months to live. There were no options. They were wrong.
Following testing and using biological markers, we learned she has an ogliogliodindroma. In other words, a complicated mix of tumor cells with webs, all wrapped around her speech pathways. Remove it completely? They told her she would be mute. Leave it in? She would live day-to-day with a ticking time bomb in her brain. There were no good options.
A year of chemo, years of steroids and anti-seizure medication, immunotherapy treatments, and yet, the tumor has decided to “wake up.” For the past six years, Melinda and her husband Chris have flown to North Carolina every few months for the best possible treatment on the country. The DUKE Brain Tumor Center is wildly known as one of the best in the world, and the team has been amazing.
This Fall, on a return visit to DUKE, the team discovered a change in the makeup of the tumor. The cells were no longer asleep. Now they were “angry.” The cancer cells had returned. At this point, another round of chemo would not be an option. The immunotherapy trial didn’t work as well as we had hoped. It’s time for another surgery.
On December 6, 2023, Melinda will undergo her SECOND brain surgery. This time she will be under the care of Master Surgeon Dr. Freidman, the same man who operated on Ted Kennedy. He is our Hail Mary. He is our 4th and long. He is our Christmas Miracle.
As you can imagine, our family is under extreme stress right now. The year has not been kind, but we hold onto hope that it will end on a high note. Your generous contributions will help cover expenses not covered by insurance, additional medications, routine visits to DUKE, and the extended stay required in December.
On behalf of Mel and Chris and their sweet eight-year-old son Myles, my parents Jim and Betsy, and myself and my kiddos, Elizabeth and Andy, we are eternally grateful. Thank you for the love, prayers and support.
Gratefully,
Susanna
Organizer and beneficiary
Susanna Max
Organizer
Cincinnati, OH
Chris Greenwood
Beneficiary