Help Betsy with Her Medical and Support Expenses

In mid-July, Betsy was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, which of all places has situated as a tumor in her left hip invading the iliac bone and the gluteus muscles. Under the guidance of an amazing medical team at Mass General, Betsy spent the late summer and early fall undergoing a course of radiation and chemotherapy to shrink and kill the tumor. On November 15th, she underwent a surgery called an inner hemipelvectomy. Dr. Raskin and his two teams of surgeons spent around 7 hours removing the tumor, a significant portion of the left side of her pelvis, and the gluteus muscles, all of which have been invaded by the tumor. Then a plastic surgery team came in to do some grafting of muscles and other work to give her the best function possible in her left leg and hip area.

Betsy will be facing a long rehab period after the surgery – at the hospital, then at a rehab facility, and then at home. Given the rarity of the cancer, there are quite a number of unknowns that she is facing, but Betsy is dealing with it all with her renowned focus, determination, and humor. Your gift through GoFundMe will help with expenses related to her treatment, rehab, and other support necessities.

It is important to note that your contribution is a gift, not a tax-deductible contribution. We will keep you posted as Betsy embarks on the next step of this incredible journey. We will be posting updates on Betsy's progress on this site as well as on Caring Bridge - https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/betsyalison.