Donation protected
Let’s help Elyse fight Melanoma! She found out at the beginning of January that she has a rapid-growing, aggressive form of skin cancer that includes a tumor deep in her back. Since then she has been inundated with doctors visits, scans, biopsies and just completed surgery this past Friday the 22nd. She is currently in recovery with two children (1 and 3) at home and a job she just started in January. She’s also a patient at the Moffitt endocrine tumor clinic, so as you can imagine, even with insurance, bills are piling up and it is already more than her family can afford! Prayers, donations or other forms of support are much appreciated from friends, family, or even kind strangers looking to some good in this very deserving person’s life. If you’d like to know more, read on!
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Anyone who knows Elyse knows she is a lovely, hilarious, person with a big heart. She has spent her life doing things for others, whether it's volunteering, teaching underprivileged populations in Benin, Africa or balancing a full-time job with motherhood. She has always gone above and beyond to help others, as well as to support her family and make sure her children are cared for, in spite of enduring health and financial hardships. She has always met adversity with remarkable strength--but now, she and her family need our help!
At the end of 2018, Elyse noticed a lump on her throat, around her thyroid. She had an ultrasound and a fine needle aspiration biopsy; all with inconclusive results. While awaiting further testing, she happened to notice an oddly shaped mole on her upper back and decided to get it checked out at the dermatologist. They removed/biopsied three moles.
Elyse got the call as soon as the pathology was in that she had to come in to the office right away. Two of the three moles had tested positive for an aggressive, fast growing form of melanoma that had already spread deep and wide and she needed to take action immediately.
In the midst of all this, Elyse also started a new job. She got her moles checked right before starting and received news of the cancer on her second day of work. Fortunately, the insurance through her new work enabled her to start treatment at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa Florida, which specializes in Melanoma.
After Moffitt evaluated her case, Elyse was immediately scheduled for surgery for Friday, February 22. This surgery included a radical wide excision tumor removal as well as another wide excision and removal of several lymph nodes in her neck and right underarm. Everything was sent to pathology for testing. Now it's a waiting game for results to come back to determine the full extent of cancer spread.
Elyse is now in recovery. She won't be able to lift anything heavier than five pounds for two weeks and has suffered nerve damage in her right shoulder. Thankfully, Elyse's mom is in Tampa this week helping, but she'll fly back to Washington soon. Elyse and her husband will need to find help managing their jobs, picking up kids at daycare, etc. She will follow up in two weeks to learn about the results of her pathology and then will also go to the Moffitt Endocrine Tumor Clinic for further testing on her throat, starting on March 20th after healing somewhat from the first surgery.
While the entire picture of Elyse’s cancer has not been uncovered yet, we do know that at the very least she has stage 3 melanoma. The American Cancer Society reports the five-year survival rate for stage 3 at 40-78 percent. The 10-year survival rate ranges from 24 to 68 percent. She will likely continue with immunotherapy following the results of the surgery.
Though Elyse and her husband will continue to work as much as possible throughout the process, the out of pocket expenses for cancer treatment are very high. The bills she has incurred thus far from doctors visits alone are already more than her family can afford, and she hasn’t even received the bill for this first surgery yet. She is going to continue working as much as she can throughout her treatment, but that doesn’t negate the additional financial burdens that can come from missing days of work, childcare, etc.
Bottom line—Elyse is a compassionate, generous soul, always putting others needs before her own. A wonderful mom, wife and friend; an exceptionally hard worker. She has given a lot of herself to the world--now she needs our help so she can continue cancer treatment and give this battle all she's got!
Many have reached out, wanting to know how they can help support Elyse and her family during this difficult time. Prayers, love and financial support are all welcome. Even a dollar in a show of support means so much. <3<3
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Anyone who knows Elyse knows she is a lovely, hilarious, person with a big heart. She has spent her life doing things for others, whether it's volunteering, teaching underprivileged populations in Benin, Africa or balancing a full-time job with motherhood. She has always gone above and beyond to help others, as well as to support her family and make sure her children are cared for, in spite of enduring health and financial hardships. She has always met adversity with remarkable strength--but now, she and her family need our help!
At the end of 2018, Elyse noticed a lump on her throat, around her thyroid. She had an ultrasound and a fine needle aspiration biopsy; all with inconclusive results. While awaiting further testing, she happened to notice an oddly shaped mole on her upper back and decided to get it checked out at the dermatologist. They removed/biopsied three moles.
Elyse got the call as soon as the pathology was in that she had to come in to the office right away. Two of the three moles had tested positive for an aggressive, fast growing form of melanoma that had already spread deep and wide and she needed to take action immediately.
In the midst of all this, Elyse also started a new job. She got her moles checked right before starting and received news of the cancer on her second day of work. Fortunately, the insurance through her new work enabled her to start treatment at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa Florida, which specializes in Melanoma.
After Moffitt evaluated her case, Elyse was immediately scheduled for surgery for Friday, February 22. This surgery included a radical wide excision tumor removal as well as another wide excision and removal of several lymph nodes in her neck and right underarm. Everything was sent to pathology for testing. Now it's a waiting game for results to come back to determine the full extent of cancer spread.
Elyse is now in recovery. She won't be able to lift anything heavier than five pounds for two weeks and has suffered nerve damage in her right shoulder. Thankfully, Elyse's mom is in Tampa this week helping, but she'll fly back to Washington soon. Elyse and her husband will need to find help managing their jobs, picking up kids at daycare, etc. She will follow up in two weeks to learn about the results of her pathology and then will also go to the Moffitt Endocrine Tumor Clinic for further testing on her throat, starting on March 20th after healing somewhat from the first surgery.
While the entire picture of Elyse’s cancer has not been uncovered yet, we do know that at the very least she has stage 3 melanoma. The American Cancer Society reports the five-year survival rate for stage 3 at 40-78 percent. The 10-year survival rate ranges from 24 to 68 percent. She will likely continue with immunotherapy following the results of the surgery.
Though Elyse and her husband will continue to work as much as possible throughout the process, the out of pocket expenses for cancer treatment are very high. The bills she has incurred thus far from doctors visits alone are already more than her family can afford, and she hasn’t even received the bill for this first surgery yet. She is going to continue working as much as she can throughout her treatment, but that doesn’t negate the additional financial burdens that can come from missing days of work, childcare, etc.
Bottom line—Elyse is a compassionate, generous soul, always putting others needs before her own. A wonderful mom, wife and friend; an exceptionally hard worker. She has given a lot of herself to the world--now she needs our help so she can continue cancer treatment and give this battle all she's got!
Many have reached out, wanting to know how they can help support Elyse and her family during this difficult time. Prayers, love and financial support are all welcome. Even a dollar in a show of support means so much. <3<3
Organizer and beneficiary
Juju Bean
Organizer
Waltham, MA
Elyse Bell
Beneficiary