Support for Alana Donovan
Donation protected
I am trying to raise money for my son & beautiful daughter in-law Mitch & Alana Donovan (aka warrior princess) who have only been married for 11 months now.
As many of you are already aware Alana has been recently diagnosed with stage 4, incurable melanoma cancer metastasis to the brain. When Alana and her husband Mitch learned of the devastating news and were told the diagnosis, the treatment she would receive would be a year long, they thought how are we going to get through this. With this long road and battle ahead of them we are all praying the treatment will shrink the tumor in her brain so that she can go on to live a happy long life & have the family she has always dreamed of having. Alana needs to be extremely cautious to prevent contracting any cold, flu or COVID-19, which means not being able to return to work for the safety of her life.
We ask that you help us support Alana who has always been the most kindest, loving, generous friend, daughter, wife etc. despite her own hardships.
The support Alana receives could be used for medications not covered by the government, hospital parking, a wig & gas etc.
We ask you to support Alana, who all she has ever dreamed about is getting married and starting a family of her own, who now has been challenged with a battle that no newly wed women should have to ever face.
January 2019, I felt a small bump grow behind my left ear. I couldn't see it, just assumed it was a new freckle or maybe a small mole, but it was always itchy. A couple months later, it continued to grow and change shape and colour (from what I was told). A very wise friend suggested I go to the doctor to have it checked because "it didn't look right to her", but I was just too busy. Right before we got married on October 5, 2019, the bump was now the size of a kidney bean and quite discolored. After we came back from our honeymoon, it was now closer to the size of a golf ball and it was causing me a lot of pain. It would bleed every night during sleep time or if the slightest touch happened to graze it. Had to start getting quite creative with my hairstyles because it needed to stay covered - even my dad started referring to it as my unicorn horn
☆January 2020, I finally had an appointment with my family doctor. He took one look at it and said there are 1000 moles/lesions that can come in any shape or size, and without doing a biopsy, confidentially told me that it wasn't cancerous and that a plastic surgeon could easily remove it.
☆April 2020, I had just turned 30, was married to the love of my life and was gung-ho about becoming a mother. On the 27th, I had the 'lump' removed and was told to come back in a week to take out the stitches.
☆May 2020, I got to the hospital to have my stitches taken out, but was immediately moved into a back hallway, in a dark corner with comfy chairs. As soon as I took my place in one of the chairs my stomach was in a knot, something didn't feel right. About an hour later, the plastic surgeon and a nurse came to sit with me and let me know that the biopsy of the growth had come back as malignant melanoma and had tested positive for the braf mutation. The rest of May is a bit of a blur, I was at Sunnybrook hospital (I could not possibly type enough amazing things about this place) going through exams, scans, tests preparing me for surgery.
☆June 2020, I had an almost 6 hour long surgery to remove almost all of my cancerous lymphnodes in my left neck/head. Stayed in the hospital for 5 days and thought, you did it, the worst is over, now time to go through treatment to make sure it doesn't come back.
☆July 2020, I have become almost fully independent again and am adjusting to the permanent loss of sensation on my left side way better than before. A few weeks ago, my eyes were tested thoroughly, my heart, and another CT exam was done to ensure I was on the right track to start my radiation, immunotherapy and my braf inhibitors. However, something wasn't right again. Headaches and vision issues had been starting and my body hadn't been feeling right. Then last week we received a call -
We are now dealing with stage 4, uncurable melanoma metastasis to the brain. The tumor must have popped up right after my first surgery. Treatment plans are changing. I have my first gamma knife radiation on Friday.
☆☆ this is going to be the longest read of your life - but I had to put this time line down in words, I'm hoping it will make me understand that it is real and ignite my warrior princess will to fight. When I first started being vocal about my news, I was met with a lot of careless comments that I know were meant with the best intention, "that's not REALLY cancer is it?", "you're so lucky it's the easiest to treat" , etc. I myself had very little knowledge on melanoma, but I urge anyone who isn't aware of it to take 2 minutes to do some light reading at some point in your life. It could save you.
Today has been a real difficult day but I could not have possibly ended this post without thanking all of YOU ♥️
When I first started going to the hospital, a badass warrior princess Karen Alexander let me know to be expecting many gifts throughout this process. The gift of connection to others, the gift of hope, the gift of gratitude for this life, and so much more. I have never known anyone to be more right about something. 2020 has been such a rough year on all of us, yet somehow you all reached out to me with beautiful messages, cards, flowers, baskets, visits and just the power of love while dealing with your own stuff at home. You have all kept me lifted, and of course my incredible family (Donovans, Kiteleys, McBurneys, Blaisdale sisters!) my sister wives, my husband - I'm at an absolute loss for words♥️ I love you all, and cannot wait to beat this thing and annoy you with photoshoots of our 10 kids I'm sending each and everyone of you a giant squeeze tonight, thank you for keeping hope alive.
Mitch Donovan you are my everything
As many of you are already aware Alana has been recently diagnosed with stage 4, incurable melanoma cancer metastasis to the brain. When Alana and her husband Mitch learned of the devastating news and were told the diagnosis, the treatment she would receive would be a year long, they thought how are we going to get through this. With this long road and battle ahead of them we are all praying the treatment will shrink the tumor in her brain so that she can go on to live a happy long life & have the family she has always dreamed of having. Alana needs to be extremely cautious to prevent contracting any cold, flu or COVID-19, which means not being able to return to work for the safety of her life.
We ask that you help us support Alana who has always been the most kindest, loving, generous friend, daughter, wife etc. despite her own hardships.
The support Alana receives could be used for medications not covered by the government, hospital parking, a wig & gas etc.
We ask you to support Alana, who all she has ever dreamed about is getting married and starting a family of her own, who now has been challenged with a battle that no newly wed women should have to ever face.
January 2019, I felt a small bump grow behind my left ear. I couldn't see it, just assumed it was a new freckle or maybe a small mole, but it was always itchy. A couple months later, it continued to grow and change shape and colour (from what I was told). A very wise friend suggested I go to the doctor to have it checked because "it didn't look right to her", but I was just too busy. Right before we got married on October 5, 2019, the bump was now the size of a kidney bean and quite discolored. After we came back from our honeymoon, it was now closer to the size of a golf ball and it was causing me a lot of pain. It would bleed every night during sleep time or if the slightest touch happened to graze it. Had to start getting quite creative with my hairstyles because it needed to stay covered - even my dad started referring to it as my unicorn horn
☆January 2020, I finally had an appointment with my family doctor. He took one look at it and said there are 1000 moles/lesions that can come in any shape or size, and without doing a biopsy, confidentially told me that it wasn't cancerous and that a plastic surgeon could easily remove it.
☆April 2020, I had just turned 30, was married to the love of my life and was gung-ho about becoming a mother. On the 27th, I had the 'lump' removed and was told to come back in a week to take out the stitches.
☆May 2020, I got to the hospital to have my stitches taken out, but was immediately moved into a back hallway, in a dark corner with comfy chairs. As soon as I took my place in one of the chairs my stomach was in a knot, something didn't feel right. About an hour later, the plastic surgeon and a nurse came to sit with me and let me know that the biopsy of the growth had come back as malignant melanoma and had tested positive for the braf mutation. The rest of May is a bit of a blur, I was at Sunnybrook hospital (I could not possibly type enough amazing things about this place) going through exams, scans, tests preparing me for surgery.
☆June 2020, I had an almost 6 hour long surgery to remove almost all of my cancerous lymphnodes in my left neck/head. Stayed in the hospital for 5 days and thought, you did it, the worst is over, now time to go through treatment to make sure it doesn't come back.
☆July 2020, I have become almost fully independent again and am adjusting to the permanent loss of sensation on my left side way better than before. A few weeks ago, my eyes were tested thoroughly, my heart, and another CT exam was done to ensure I was on the right track to start my radiation, immunotherapy and my braf inhibitors. However, something wasn't right again. Headaches and vision issues had been starting and my body hadn't been feeling right. Then last week we received a call -
We are now dealing with stage 4, uncurable melanoma metastasis to the brain. The tumor must have popped up right after my first surgery. Treatment plans are changing. I have my first gamma knife radiation on Friday.
☆☆ this is going to be the longest read of your life - but I had to put this time line down in words, I'm hoping it will make me understand that it is real and ignite my warrior princess will to fight. When I first started being vocal about my news, I was met with a lot of careless comments that I know were meant with the best intention, "that's not REALLY cancer is it?", "you're so lucky it's the easiest to treat" , etc. I myself had very little knowledge on melanoma, but I urge anyone who isn't aware of it to take 2 minutes to do some light reading at some point in your life. It could save you.
Today has been a real difficult day but I could not have possibly ended this post without thanking all of YOU ♥️
When I first started going to the hospital, a badass warrior princess Karen Alexander let me know to be expecting many gifts throughout this process. The gift of connection to others, the gift of hope, the gift of gratitude for this life, and so much more. I have never known anyone to be more right about something. 2020 has been such a rough year on all of us, yet somehow you all reached out to me with beautiful messages, cards, flowers, baskets, visits and just the power of love while dealing with your own stuff at home. You have all kept me lifted, and of course my incredible family (Donovans, Kiteleys, McBurneys, Blaisdale sisters!) my sister wives, my husband - I'm at an absolute loss for words♥️ I love you all, and cannot wait to beat this thing and annoy you with photoshoots of our 10 kids I'm sending each and everyone of you a giant squeeze tonight, thank you for keeping hope alive.
Mitch Donovan you are my everything
Organizer
Suzie Mcburney
Organizer
Ajax, ON
