Marissa's Battle Against Cancer

Diagnosed in January 2017 with Stage 4 Hodgkins Lymphoma, Marissa's life was changed overnight. She went to the ER due to chest pains, trouble breathing, a swollen lymph node in the neck, and a terrible cough that lead to vomiting almost daily. That night spent in the ER lead to being admitting into the hospital for a month. After countless tests and painful biopsies, the doctors discovered she had cancer. Cancer that had spread to the neck, lungs, abdomen, bones, and bone marrow. She began receiving ABVD chemotherapy while in the hospital and was eventually discharged from the hospital. She began getting chemotherapy every two weeks on an outpatient basis. She received this chemotherapy for about 6 months when the doctors realized the tumors were not responding to the treatment at all and the cancer had actually grown more and spread. She has recently started a stronger chemotherapy called R-ICE. She is in need of radiation treatments as well. After this new chemotherapy and radiation, she will be starting immunotherapy treatments and later getting a bone marrow transplant. This has all taken a toll on her, physically, mentally, and financially. She is unable to work and medical bills are piling up. The costs for medication, medical supplies, and transportation to and from treatments and appointments are adding up as well. Any donations would be greatly appreciated. It would lessen the burden and great amount of stress placed on her. She needs to focus on healing, not whether or not she can afford a medication she needs or whether or not she can pay yet another medical bill.