My Fight for Sight - Please Help
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Hi! I am kicking off this campaign to help fight my recent diagnosis of a rare form of brain cancer. This diagnosis has limited research and data, making the treatment plan highly expensive and complex. Please read my story.
Late April of this year, I woke up with diminished vision and color loss in my left eye. After examination at the ophthalmologist, it was recommended that I immediately go to Bascom Palmer Eye Institute ER in Miami. After various tests and an MRI, I was diagnosed with an Optic Nerve Glioma. It is a tumor inside the left optic nerve, a low-grade form of cancer. It has had growth in the past few months, and any growth is significant and concerning in this small area. With any more growth, this tumor can become more aggressive and life threatening. This has caused me to speed up the treatment process immensely. I will have to undergo chemotherapy, radiation, and possibly immunotherapy with hopes of stabilizing the tumor. With chemotherapy and immunotherapy comes the high risk of infertility. I have been advised to freeze my eggs before starting any treatment through In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). This process is extremely costly and is not covered by insurance. There are numerous out-of-pocket expenses that insurance does not cover in addition to IVF, such as medications, immunotherapy, and disability modifications I must make as my vision is worsening.
I need your help to ease the financial burden and tremulous stress that my family is facing. I never thought this would happen. I am grateful that this fundraising option exists. My goal is to raise $20,000 for this campaign, and I would be very appreciative if you could help in any way. This will be a difficult journey, but I will always have my faith, family, friends, and community to carry me through this. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers.
Thank you for your love and support during this time, Michelle Culbert
Late April of this year, I woke up with diminished vision and color loss in my left eye. After examination at the ophthalmologist, it was recommended that I immediately go to Bascom Palmer Eye Institute ER in Miami. After various tests and an MRI, I was diagnosed with an Optic Nerve Glioma. It is a tumor inside the left optic nerve, a low-grade form of cancer. It has had growth in the past few months, and any growth is significant and concerning in this small area. With any more growth, this tumor can become more aggressive and life threatening. This has caused me to speed up the treatment process immensely. I will have to undergo chemotherapy, radiation, and possibly immunotherapy with hopes of stabilizing the tumor. With chemotherapy and immunotherapy comes the high risk of infertility. I have been advised to freeze my eggs before starting any treatment through In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). This process is extremely costly and is not covered by insurance. There are numerous out-of-pocket expenses that insurance does not cover in addition to IVF, such as medications, immunotherapy, and disability modifications I must make as my vision is worsening.
I need your help to ease the financial burden and tremulous stress that my family is facing. I never thought this would happen. I am grateful that this fundraising option exists. My goal is to raise $20,000 for this campaign, and I would be very appreciative if you could help in any way. This will be a difficult journey, but I will always have my faith, family, friends, and community to carry me through this. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers.
Thank you for your love and support during this time, Michelle Culbert
Organizer
Michelle Culbert
Organizer
Pompano Beach, FL