Help Calais beat Pediatric Sarcoma Cancer

Hi everyone, my name is Calais Lovett and many of you may know me and some of you may not. All my life I have been a healthy child full of life with a love of learning and soon plan on attending Texas A&M to continue my education and obtain my degree in Meteorology. I have had scoliosis for quite some time and my back constantly has caused me issues. In September, we made our first visit to the emergency room for a pain in my lower back and were told it was solely because of my weight, which was only 190 lbs for a 5’9”, 17 yr old female. We went home and I ended up losing close to 50 lbs over the course of the next few months before we went back to the doctors for yet another check up on my back due to the excruciating pain I was in. This time we went to my pediatrician after the ER proved yet again to dismiss my crippling pain.     We asked the pediatrician to write a script for an MRI of my lower lumbar and hip and soon went and had that done. I still remember the day I got my test results back vividly because it was the day my life changed forever.     On March 22, 2023 I found out that I at 18 years old had cancer. After many rounds of testing and procedures, the doctors have determined that I had a Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor, or MPNST, the malignant part being sarcoma. Sarcoma is an extremely rare cancer that only 1% of the population develops yearly, many of the patients being those with the NF1 or NF2 gene. Thankfully, that is not my case and my cancer is thought to have been caused by environmental issues.     Since my diagnosis, I have been through numerous MRI’s, CT scans, blood tests, one PET scan and a biopsy to confirm that my cancer was only off of my spine. From here, my neurosurgeon, surgical oncologist, urologist and hematology oncologist collaborated and concluded that surgery would be my best option. I was sat down and told this surgery was very risky and I would most likely lose my right kidney since it was displaced almost into my rib cage as well as most of the feeling in my right thigh. I accepted the risks and surgery was scheduled for May 1st, 2023.    On May 1st, I underwent a 12 1/2 hour meticulous surgery where they were able to remove 100% of my cancer! Yay! However, due to the invasiveness of the surgery, I spent 3 days in the Neurosurgery ICU on a ventilator and 6 days on the Neurology Floor where I could receive the best recovery possible. Over these 9 days I was taught how to walk again as well as started my long journey through physical therapy.     Today, I am almost back to normal from surgery and feel so much better knowing I am no longer battling a very rare cancer. Unfortunately, since cancer is a very expensive disease, I have currently racked up over $500,000 in medical bills and that it without my 6 weeks of preventative Proton Radiation at the children’s hospital in Philadelphia.     Due to the amount of testing and doctors I have had to visit, I had to go out on medical leave where I am currently receiving no disability or income in general therefore leaving the costs of transportation, gas, medical bills and so many other expenses on my mother and I to afford. She herself is disabled while trying to raise two kids off of her disability payment, having caused her to rack up thousands of dollars on her credit card helping me to receive the best treatments possible. Any little bit helps and it will truly make my recovery and treatment a lot easier to handle knowing my mother is no longer struggling financially.