Donate to Courtney's Journey for a Cure

I am the grandmother of Courtney Hedrick-Nance. Courtney is a 15 year old girl that loves her family, animals, children and track. She saw as her future a family and children. Possibly college or at least a CNA degree.

Courtney went into surgery to have a polyp removed from her nasal passages on April 23, 2024. After surgery, they informed us that the polyp was the size of a tennis ball and that they had sent it out for testing. On May 13, 2024, we were informed that it was a tumor and that it was Chordoma Cancer. Chordoma Cancer is a slow growing bone cancer. It starts in the base of the skull and then spreads throughout the body slowly. The specialists have told us over and over how rare this cancer is and especially how rare it is in someone Courtney's age. They are learning about this as we are. There are only three cases like this so not enough really to give definitive results. We were choosing to be optomistic as they felt that they had gotten everything with the first surgery.

Many more specialists were added to Courtney's team. After more MRIs, CT scans, and a PET scan, it was determined to do another surgery to biopsy more areas around where the tumor was removed. The MRI and PET scan had been conflicting on whether there were more cancer cells in the area. They opted for the lesser surgery and biopsies than to do a major surgery of opening up her skull, moving her brain, etc. We feel it was the best thing to do so that it didn't open Courtney's brain up to meningitis and other infections. The results, however, were not as positive as we had hoped for. There were still Chordoma Cancer cells in 2 out of the 3 biopsies that they had done.

Courtney will now have to go through radiation. We are in the process of meeting specialists in Mayo Rochester to add to our team of specialists at Children's Hospital in Minnesota. We are very blessed to have so many knowledgeable, kind and loving doctors to work with Courtney. It will be a very long haul ahead. Right now she has pediatric specialists as the main doctors on her team as Courtney is 15 years old. They are bringing in specialists as consultants, not only because of this rare form of cancer, but because these consultants will then become her regular specialists when Courtney turns 18 years old. Yes, this will be Courtney's and our family's lives for many years to come.

Next week starts the process of making the mask for radiation, more MRIs, CT Simulations, consultations, etc. After the many weeks of radiation through the holidays and into next year, Courtney will then undergo more surgeries and testing. This is a slow growing cancer. We are trying to stay ahead of it and give her the best chance of a cure as possible.

We live in a small town in Wisconsin. All of her appointments are in Minnesota. Each trip is anywhere from 3-6 hours round trip. When Courtney starts her radiation treatments in Rochester, MN, her mother will be staying with her. Her father, grandfather, and I will be taking care of the rest of the children at home.

Her brother needs to have surgery on his chest for a pectus excavatum that has moved his heart to the left. Although the surgery for this has come a very long way, it will still be a recovery time and more time off of work for Courtney's parents. Her father will be staying at the hospital with her brother during this time as it is now hitting at the same time as the radiation treatments.

Courtney's parents have applied for FMLA from their work and the companies that they work for have been very, very kind with helping our family out. It, however, is a very long road with many many bills, appointments, gas and maintenance on vehicles, etc.

Any donations would be so very greatly appreciated.

Thank you!