Christin and the Mazev Family

Our beloved Valiant, Christin (Wagner) Mazev.

Christin is a former ballerina, an educator, a wife, a beloved daughter, and a cherished friend. Above all, she is an extraordinary mother to three beautiful children, Lucas, Miles, and Penelope. She is someone who has always filled the needs of others before her own. She does this with a smile. From fundraisers, walks to cure, to volunteering and handwriting letters to everyone in her orb she senses needs a boost; Christin is a ray of sunshine, our ray of sunshine. In August, six months post-partum with Penelope, Christin's world was forever changed.

In August 2023, after six weeks of back pain, she lost feelings in her legs and struggled to walk, leading her to the ER. After getting an MRI, a tumor was revealed that put pressure on her spinal cord, causing her to lose feeling from her feet to her chest. After emergent spinal surgery, she was working on recovering, even successfully walking with assistance from a walker. Just eight days later, she lost the ability to move her legs completely. Another MRI and spinal surgery showed a new tumor had already grown on a different part of the spine. This was something completely different.

The doctors told her she was looking at a rare, aggressive lymphoma cancer, b-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Luckily, the best lymphoma oncology department in the state was at Duke Hospital, and she worked to get transferred as soon as possible. Once she arrived at Duke, the team worked together to create the best treatment plan so she could get back to her family. She underwent seven rounds of radiation treatment before uncovering another growth on a new spot on my spine, affecting my left-hand mobility. The doctors worked to include the third tumor in the remaining radiation regimen before starting chemotherapy.

After two rounds of chemotherapy and twelve rounds of radiation, she finally transitioned to a rehab facility where she continued her rehabilitation for her mobility in her abdomen and legs. She worked diligently at rehab for over a month before Christin finally made it home in late October 2023 after being away from her children for over two months. By Thanksgiving 2023 she found herself back in the emergency room with uncontrollable pain and an ongoing infection. Further testing revealed a new tumor growth pressing on her ureter. She underwent a procedure to have stents placed in her kidneys, as well as nephrostomy tubes being placed. Despite twelve rounds of radiation and four rounds of chemotherapy, her oncology team needed to shift her treatment to cutting-edge CAR T cell therapy. Due to her pain levels, pain management, and lack of mobility, Christin was required to remain inpatient for the entire duration of the CAR T cell therapy treatment, which began on December 18th, 2023. While waiting for the t cells to be ready, her cancer continued to grow, putting a strain on her lungs, heart, and esophagus, making it difficult to breathe and swallow food. She had three bags of chemotherapy while waiting. Finally, Christin received her T cell infusion on Wednesday, January 10th, 2024. The side effects have been grueling on her mind and body, but she remains positive, courageous, and completely admirable.

We thank the remarkable nurses, doctors, therapists, and the entire staff on the Duke Oncology unit for supporting Christin on this journey. Their compassion and support have undoubtedly made sleepless nights and long months of battling bearable. They will forever be part of the Mazev family.

Your contributions, no matter the size, will have an incredible impact on Christin's life, providing her with the much-needed support and resources during her recovery.

'The most positive and amazing thing that has come out of this situation is finding out just how big our village is. From people regularly checking in from afar, family and friends offering to visit to help with the kids, and everyone here who has not hesitated to treat our children like their own. I cannot believe how lucky we are through such an awful situation. There are days when I can't believe how strong I feel, and I know it's because of my babies who need me and the strength of my village holding me up. The journey will be long, and I will continue to fight with strength to recover for myself and my family,' - Christin