For Cayllie; An Inspiring Nurse Battling Cancer
Donation protected
Hey Everyone!
I hope you will all take a chance to read my dear friend's story.
Cayllie Alicki is a 28 year old Registered Nurse (RN) who has worked at Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH) for several years and also happens to now be one of my closest friends. When I began my first job as a nurse, Cayllie took me under her wing and showed me the lay of the land. She inspired me to be a caring, courageous and exceptional nurse like herself. After several months of knowing Cayllie, I learned that while she came to work day after day, caring for others, Cayllie was battling her own problems at the same time. Cayllie had been diagnosed with a Wilms Tumor on her Kidney, one that was too big for chemo or radiation to cure, so Cayllie had surgery and had her entire Kidney and tumor removed. Cayllie spent several months after surgery, in weekly chemo treatments hoping she would be eventually be able to say she was in remission; low and behold, she was.
Cayllie felt more inspired then ever after ending her battle with cancer. She continued to thrive at her job as a YNHH RN, being a role model to all, while at the same time deciding to continue her education and start school to become and APRN. Cayllie now had a dream to work in oncology urology and help others the way her team helped her.
Fast forward to one year later. Cayllie had a follow up MRI. Her worst nightmare was printed on the MRI results sheet. Her cancer was back. It had formed a new tumor on her other Kidney. Cayllie had to leave work on short term disability while she got weekly chemo treatments to try and shrink this new tumor for it to be operable. After several months, Cayllie's medical team was determined to remove this new tumor while leaving her a functioning kidney. They were successful, yet tumor sludge was leaked during the operation. Cayllie had to now extend her short term disability to long term disability. She would now need more months of chemo and radiation to prevent this tumor sludge from causing more harm. A few months later, fall of 2020, Cayllie had another MRI. Crossing her fingers that her cancer was gone, she got the worst possible news. Her cancer had now spread and formed multiple nodules throughout her abdomen.
Cayllie has true strength. I have truly never met a person so strong. While tears fled Cayllie's eyes, she knew she couldn't give up. She was exhausted, drained, felt hopeless. It didn't matter. Cayllie began intense chemo treatments in NYC at Sloan Kettering. She had to leave her family and support system here in CT and battle this on her own in New York. Cayllie would be getting chemo treatments 4-5 days in a row. Low platelet and WBC counts that made her terrified, especially in the times of COVID. She was more sick and neutropenic then she ever thought she would be. December 2020 came around and Cayllie had a repeat PET scan, her cancer was gone. There was no sign of any tumors left in her system. We all cried tears of joy, yet Cayllie knew her fight wasn't over. Cayllie still had months of chemo and radiation left to ensure her cancer didn't return.
I am reaching out to you all because Cayllie is one of our nurses. She has spent years helping hundreds of patients and once her cancer is treated, she will continue to help individuals like myself, yourself and all of our loved ones. Cayllie has never asked for help from anyone throughout her entire fight. Today, I have decided to ask for help for her.
Please consider making a donation to help Cayllie afford her treatments and medical bills, as one of my closest friends and a co-worker who inspires me everyday, she deserves it.
I hope you will all take a chance to read my dear friend's story.
Cayllie Alicki is a 28 year old Registered Nurse (RN) who has worked at Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH) for several years and also happens to now be one of my closest friends. When I began my first job as a nurse, Cayllie took me under her wing and showed me the lay of the land. She inspired me to be a caring, courageous and exceptional nurse like herself. After several months of knowing Cayllie, I learned that while she came to work day after day, caring for others, Cayllie was battling her own problems at the same time. Cayllie had been diagnosed with a Wilms Tumor on her Kidney, one that was too big for chemo or radiation to cure, so Cayllie had surgery and had her entire Kidney and tumor removed. Cayllie spent several months after surgery, in weekly chemo treatments hoping she would be eventually be able to say she was in remission; low and behold, she was.
Cayllie felt more inspired then ever after ending her battle with cancer. She continued to thrive at her job as a YNHH RN, being a role model to all, while at the same time deciding to continue her education and start school to become and APRN. Cayllie now had a dream to work in oncology urology and help others the way her team helped her.
Fast forward to one year later. Cayllie had a follow up MRI. Her worst nightmare was printed on the MRI results sheet. Her cancer was back. It had formed a new tumor on her other Kidney. Cayllie had to leave work on short term disability while she got weekly chemo treatments to try and shrink this new tumor for it to be operable. After several months, Cayllie's medical team was determined to remove this new tumor while leaving her a functioning kidney. They were successful, yet tumor sludge was leaked during the operation. Cayllie had to now extend her short term disability to long term disability. She would now need more months of chemo and radiation to prevent this tumor sludge from causing more harm. A few months later, fall of 2020, Cayllie had another MRI. Crossing her fingers that her cancer was gone, she got the worst possible news. Her cancer had now spread and formed multiple nodules throughout her abdomen.
Cayllie has true strength. I have truly never met a person so strong. While tears fled Cayllie's eyes, she knew she couldn't give up. She was exhausted, drained, felt hopeless. It didn't matter. Cayllie began intense chemo treatments in NYC at Sloan Kettering. She had to leave her family and support system here in CT and battle this on her own in New York. Cayllie would be getting chemo treatments 4-5 days in a row. Low platelet and WBC counts that made her terrified, especially in the times of COVID. She was more sick and neutropenic then she ever thought she would be. December 2020 came around and Cayllie had a repeat PET scan, her cancer was gone. There was no sign of any tumors left in her system. We all cried tears of joy, yet Cayllie knew her fight wasn't over. Cayllie still had months of chemo and radiation left to ensure her cancer didn't return.
I am reaching out to you all because Cayllie is one of our nurses. She has spent years helping hundreds of patients and once her cancer is treated, she will continue to help individuals like myself, yourself and all of our loved ones. Cayllie has never asked for help from anyone throughout her entire fight. Today, I have decided to ask for help for her.
Please consider making a donation to help Cayllie afford her treatments and medical bills, as one of my closest friends and a co-worker who inspires me everyday, she deserves it.
Organizer and beneficiary
Jillian Mauriello
Organizer
New Haven, CT
Cayllie Alicki
Beneficiary