Cancer and Baby Expenses for Veni and Lindsay
Donation protected
Veni was 22 weeks pregnant with twins when she was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer. As someone who has benefitted from their friendship, I am asking for financial support for Veni and Lindsay as they pay for hospital bills, cancer treatments, and the expense of raising two infants.
Veni and Lindsay
Veni and her wife, Lindsay, are the kind of people we all want on our side. They are best friends to one another, and they are supportive and strong allies to those they hold dear. They are always good for a laugh or to pick you up when you feel alone or sad. They are hard workers who have already overcome their fair share of tragedy, and they have become more empathetic and stronger because of it.
The Diagnosis
In early March 2021, Veni and Lindsay announced that Veni was 20 weeks pregnant with twins and expected to deliver in August. Besides some morning sickness and a dry cough from what doctors thought was acid reflux, Veni was feeling great and the babies were healthy.
Unfortunately, Veni’s cough worsened. At the end of March, she was taken by ambulance to UNC Hospitals with excruciating pain in her ribs. After a total of 3 weeks in the hospital, she was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. It has spread to lymph nodes in her chest and above her right kidney. Veni has never smoked, has no family history of cancer, and no other illnesses. She turned 28 years old during that hospital stay. Her prognosis is uncertain, but doctors have said that with treatment “she may have years, but not decades.”
Treatment and "The New Normal"
Treatment was stalled as doctors considered what would be best for Mother while ensuring safety for the babies. Eventually, Veni was able to begin chemotherapy. Side effects are difficult, but she can catch her breath now with occasional supplemental oxygen. Her mother has come from Bulgaria to help care for her. Lindsay has returned to work, but she is now the sole earner for the family and she has used up all her paid leave. It is hard to believe how much things have changed in a matter of weeks since they announced their pregnancy.
Doctors hope to wait until 37 weeks of pregnancy to deliver the twins. Even so, the babies may require an extended NICU stay. Veni’s medical bills are already mounting and ongoing treatments and scans are expensive. The cost of supplies and necessities for two babies is also daunting and immediate.
Update 2022
After extensive genetic testing, Veni’s doctors were able to isolate a gene mutation called ALK. This mutation can be treated with what is known as “targeted therapy”. She started this in May 2021 and was improving tremendously.
However, after switching multiple medications, and going through chemotherapy, traditional treatments at UNC no longer work. Veni has been off treatment for a couple of months and is now going to trials in Boston and Baltimore.
Your Support
Please help Lindsay, Veni, and their babies get through this. Any donations will be spent directly on medical and baby care costs, as well as travel expenses for trials, supporting a loving family through two life-changing challenges.
Veni and Lindsay
Veni and her wife, Lindsay, are the kind of people we all want on our side. They are best friends to one another, and they are supportive and strong allies to those they hold dear. They are always good for a laugh or to pick you up when you feel alone or sad. They are hard workers who have already overcome their fair share of tragedy, and they have become more empathetic and stronger because of it.
The Diagnosis
In early March 2021, Veni and Lindsay announced that Veni was 20 weeks pregnant with twins and expected to deliver in August. Besides some morning sickness and a dry cough from what doctors thought was acid reflux, Veni was feeling great and the babies were healthy.
Unfortunately, Veni’s cough worsened. At the end of March, she was taken by ambulance to UNC Hospitals with excruciating pain in her ribs. After a total of 3 weeks in the hospital, she was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. It has spread to lymph nodes in her chest and above her right kidney. Veni has never smoked, has no family history of cancer, and no other illnesses. She turned 28 years old during that hospital stay. Her prognosis is uncertain, but doctors have said that with treatment “she may have years, but not decades.”
Treatment and "The New Normal"
Treatment was stalled as doctors considered what would be best for Mother while ensuring safety for the babies. Eventually, Veni was able to begin chemotherapy. Side effects are difficult, but she can catch her breath now with occasional supplemental oxygen. Her mother has come from Bulgaria to help care for her. Lindsay has returned to work, but she is now the sole earner for the family and she has used up all her paid leave. It is hard to believe how much things have changed in a matter of weeks since they announced their pregnancy.
Doctors hope to wait until 37 weeks of pregnancy to deliver the twins. Even so, the babies may require an extended NICU stay. Veni’s medical bills are already mounting and ongoing treatments and scans are expensive. The cost of supplies and necessities for two babies is also daunting and immediate.
Update 2022
After extensive genetic testing, Veni’s doctors were able to isolate a gene mutation called ALK. This mutation can be treated with what is known as “targeted therapy”. She started this in May 2021 and was improving tremendously.
However, after switching multiple medications, and going through chemotherapy, traditional treatments at UNC no longer work. Veni has been off treatment for a couple of months and is now going to trials in Boston and Baltimore.
Your Support
Please help Lindsay, Veni, and their babies get through this. Any donations will be spent directly on medical and baby care costs, as well as travel expenses for trials, supporting a loving family through two life-changing challenges.
Organizer and beneficiary
Nini Lowe
Organizer
Durham, NC
Venelina Vateva
Beneficiary