We who are blessed to know Andrea know she’s a warrior woman: a woman who inspires everyone around her with her incredible strength, passion, JOY and amazing laugh. Now, though, she - together with her rock of support Lorenzo and 8-year-old rockstar son Massimo - are fighting a great big battle against brain cancer. Between the costs of prescriptions and the loss of Andrea’s income, the little family is facing significant financial stress. We’re hoping Andrea’s amazing community of supporters can rally to help take the financial pressure off, and to give the family more freedom to enjoy quality time together.

Andrea has PIK3CA, a genetic condition that causes all the bones, tissues, teeth etc on the right side of her skull to continuously grow. Andrea has had 16 surgeries to correct or relieve pain from growths, eating challenges, and more. In April of 2021, she had a craniotomy to rebuild her skull, eye socket and sinuses on the right side. While recovering from that, she found out that the debilitating headaches she was experiencing weren’t from the surgery recovery; they were from a fast-growing grade 4 Glioblastoma brain tumor. She underwent a second craniotomy October 7 to remove the tumor, then tackled radiation and, so far, a first series of chemo (in a dinosaur suit, because that’s Andrea’s style!).

As Andrea says, the stats are not awesome for this cancer, but she is POSITIVE and committed to beating this beast. In her words:

“I am embracing my life, my cancer. I am willing my body to heal and be strong. I am encouraged that all the surgery and treatment has not only saved my life, it will give me time. More time to live, plan, play, enjoy my family and grow as a woman.”

“I don’t recognize myself, the drugs and steroids have taken a toll on everything… but I am alive, and while I used to care so much about what I looked like (mostly because I was told I was ugly far too many times in my life) I don’t care now, I will trade any youth, weight or sparkle for every minute I get to laugh, Heal and live. I am not only surviving… I am thriving.”

Thank you,

Benita Baerg and Michelle Bell-Scanlon