Help Chelsea Beat Brain Cancer

My sister Chelsea has spent her life working in service of others. She served in the PeaceCorps in Uganda before training as a pediatric nurse practitioner. Three weeks ago, Chelsea made an appointment with her own doctor to  ask about headaches she’d been having. At only thirty-years-old and in good health, Chelsea assumed it was stress. Raising a one-year-old and starting a new job would explain it.

Just to be safe, the doctor ordered an MRI. The MRI showed inflammation in Chelsea’s brain. Chelsea was rushed   to a neurologist and then straight to the ER.  Never mind that her husband, Leslie, and her one-year-old, Ayva, were expecting her home. Chelsea had to figure this thing out. Surely, it was a mistake.

Then it was confirmed. Chelsea was diagnosed with a rare cancerous brain tumor, an oligodendroglioma.

In just three weeks, the world around Chelsea’s young family has crumbled. Chelsea went from her 30th birthday   to Ayva’s first birthday to a craniotomy and biopsy. This first operation left Chelsea unable to pick up her sweet      baby girl. Thanks to Leslie’s efforts, Chelsea is connected to the UCLA medical center and the tumor will be removed. Even then, Chelsea faces months of radiation and chemotherapy and an uncertain prognosis.

Chelsea is a fighter. She also needs help. Chelsea needs to relocate in the coming days to be closer to her support network as she recovers from surgery. Moving is expensive. Medical expenses are worse. Even though insurance    covers some of the care, the remaining out-of-pocket expenses are staggering. Then there are all the things that    most of us haven’t had to think about: a wig and clothes for chemo, meals for the family, childcare and food for Ayva.

Chelsea and her family would be grateful for any support. Even a small amount will help. Prayers are always appreciated.