Fight for Carolina

Hi, my name is Lori Hibma and I am helping raise funds for Carolina Dreher and her life-threatening fight. Carolina is my great-niece and here is her story.

On September 1st, 2022, just over six months ago, Carolina was diagnosed with a brutal disease no child should have to battle – Cancer.

Carolina is a sweet little 3-year-old girl with bundles of energy, never wanting to sit still. She was looking forward to starting pre-school, a new session of gymnastics, and swim lessons. She was going to be a big sister, meeting a new member of the family in September. But her back was hurting, and she often had bruises – far too many bruises for a little 3-year-old. Ben and Michelle, her parents, noticed this and scheduled an appointment with her pediatrician. A rash and a lump in her abdomen raised concerns very quickly.

The tests came back, and Carolina was diagnosed with cancer. Specifically, she had high-risk B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-ALL), which very quickly caused her dreams of preschool to come to a screeching halt. Where a 3-year-old should be making friends in school, she is now spending her life in the hospital or stuck in her home due to the treatments needed. Additionally, the entire family moved from their home in Montana to Colorado to ensure Carolina receives the treatment she needs. Stress from the situation also caused an early labor and emergency C-section and Audreigh was born on September 3rd, 2022.

All this happened in days. The Dreher family is struggling – things have been a whirlwind. Not only has the entire family been uprooted from their normal life but going through these treatments have caused a great amount of stress – mentally and financially. They are spending their days in the hospital with Carolina, while also trying to raise their brand-new baby.

The plan as it sits right now – six months in, is that Carolina’s treatment will continue for the next two and a half years. This is not a sprint – it is a marathon fight for her life. What does this mean for this small family? It means this is just the beginning of the story and they need help. They have a sick toddler and a brand-new baby. They’ve moved across the country for treatments to save their daughter. Michelle had to leave a great job as a pediatric occupational therapist back in Montana thereby losing 65% of their income and having to sell everything they owned to make the move. Everything they knew is gone – nothing has stayed the same. Their world is upside down.

So - how can we help them? There are some practical ways - they need financial help, they need emotional support, and they need to know they are not alone. Obviously, we are trying to raise financial support for them – our goal is $50,000.00. This will probably not be enough to get them through three long years of treatment but it’s a start.

And there is more you can do. Reach out to them, tell them you’re praying, and then really pray.

Send cards, letters, and emails and let them know they are not fighting alone. The contact information for them is listed below.

We will be posting weekly updates about Carolina’s fight against this horrible disease – please return often so you can stay updated and again - please, please help support this family in any way you can.

Blessings to those of you that are a part of the Fight for Carolina.

Cards and letters can be sent to:

3363 Northview Lane

Allegan, MI 49010