"Cancer won't stop me from watching my kids grow"

Hello, my name is Bianca and I am starting this Gofundme to help raise money for Amber Paitsel and her family. Amber and I met while working together at UF Health Shands the Villages Regional Hospital.

If I had to describe Amber in three words she is determined, selfless, compassionate. Amber is not only a nurse who has been caring for others since 2015, but also a wife and mother. She has two children who are the center of her whole world. Cooper, her son, is 11 years old and Sawyer, her daughter, is 4 years old. Amber's husband of 13 years, Matt, is self employed and has his own pool cleaning and repair company.

Back story:

In January, Amber noticed a mole near her collar bone that was changing color/shape, began to bleed and not heal. She made an appointment with the dermatologist on July 5th and had biopsies done on several moles that were concerning.

Three weeks later, on July 26th, she was diagnosed with melanoma. From there things began to happen very quickly. She had to have a PET scan done to determine if and where the cancer may have spread to. After the PET scan she was given good news, she would need surgery to remove several concerning moles, lymph nodes in her arm pit and begin immunotherapy. During a follow up appointment on September 19th, she was given devastating news, she needed to have an MRI of the brain done for possible mets to the brain. On September 20th, she had the MRI done and read by the oncologist who once again thankfully gave her more good news. No tumors or cancer in the brain, but they are still going to treat aggressively and she will need to begin immunotherapy immediately!

So, as I sit here on September 21st writing this, I ask all of you reading this to please donate to her cause. There is no amount too big or small. All donations will go to Amber and her family as she has a long road ahead consisting of follow up PET scans, MRIs and immunotherapy (and all the terrible side effects that go along with immunotherapy).

Lastly, I would like to add that Amber personally has no requests and was reluctant to say yes to the Gofundme, but I know she has several friends, coworkers, family members and work/EMS "family" who all want to help and support her and her family in this time of need.

To help spread the word, please feel free to share the Gofundme link!