Help Lenore Kick Cancers Ass!
Donation protected
This is a fundraiser for Lenore Dombrowski of St. Clair Shores, Michigan. Lenore is a beautiful 61 year old, divorced, mother of three that is currently fighting both, non small cell lung cancer and colon cancer. She is an incredibly kind and gentle soul with a love for nature, animals, reading, and her family. I can confidently say that she is also the most generous and selfless person I have come across in my 25 years of life.
Lenore’s battle began in December of 2016 when she was taken to the hospital by ambulance in the middle of the night, unable to breathe. What we thought was an extreme flare up of her (misdiagnosed) COPD, was actually our beloved mother experiencing heart failure. The aortic valve she had replaced in 2007 -due to an extreme case of endocarditis- was exhibiting severe regurgitation and stenosis. Due to the severity and complications of her case, not a single hospital in Michigan was able to replace her aortic valve. She was sent by ambulance to Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, where she was admitted for 12 days and successfully received her second open heart surgery/aortic valve replacement.
During her stay at Cleveland Clinic, a 3cm nodule was discovered on the upper portion of her left lung during a PET scan. While her heart valve was in need of immediate replacement, the lung nodule was biopsied 6 weeks later, following her heart surgery recovery. The results from the biopsy confirmed Lenore to have Stage 2 Non Small Cell Lung Cancer, adenocarcinoma of the left lung. On April 3rd, 2017, she underwent a lobectomy to have the tumor (then at 3.7cm) removed. Following recovery from surgery #2, we were to meet with her oncologist to discuss starting chemotherapy.
Towards the end of May 2017, Lenore continued to experience extreme pain, discomfort, and other concerning symptoms that prompted her surgeon to request she go to the ER. During her stay at the hospital, x-rays, scans, & a colonoscopy were done. The tests completed throughout her stay revealed a malignant polyp. These undesired results caused the chemotherapy to be postponed, as it was deemed crucial to first perform a colectomy and remove the malignant polyp. After successfully (and flawlessly, I might add) undergoing her third major surgery, our mother was given the news she also has Stage 3 colon cancer, adenocarcinoma.
While continuing to recover (mentally and physically), from her third major surgery in 6 months, we met with her oncologist to get the chemotherapy plan started again. Two weeks later, when attending what was originally planned to be an info meeting with the nurse practitioner, we were given the news that a CT scan revealed yet another nodule, this time on our mother’s liver. We were informed that, to treat the correct cancer first, the origin of the nodule had to be located, which meant another biopsy. Lenore underwent a biopsy on her liver on June 27th, 2017. As we anxiously await the results for this one, her chemotherapy remains on hold.
It is safe to say our mother has gone through more in the past 6 months than some do in a lifetime. It has taken an extreme toll on us mentally and especially financially. While she has remained nothing less than resilient, graceful, and determined throughout this journey, bills are quickly piling up and chemotherapy is soon to begin. The money raised with this gofundme campaign will be used for medical expenses and monthly bills, as she has physically been unable to work since December 2016, leaving her without any monthly income. It has taken a great deal of acceptance for us to ask for financial help from others. With that being said, we are humbly asking for any donation possible to assist our warrior mother in her battle with cancer and road towards a healthier life. Every and any donation will truly make a difference during this time. If unable to donate, every prayer, share, positive thought, and card will be cherished deeply and appreciated.
Lenore’s battle began in December of 2016 when she was taken to the hospital by ambulance in the middle of the night, unable to breathe. What we thought was an extreme flare up of her (misdiagnosed) COPD, was actually our beloved mother experiencing heart failure. The aortic valve she had replaced in 2007 -due to an extreme case of endocarditis- was exhibiting severe regurgitation and stenosis. Due to the severity and complications of her case, not a single hospital in Michigan was able to replace her aortic valve. She was sent by ambulance to Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, where she was admitted for 12 days and successfully received her second open heart surgery/aortic valve replacement.
During her stay at Cleveland Clinic, a 3cm nodule was discovered on the upper portion of her left lung during a PET scan. While her heart valve was in need of immediate replacement, the lung nodule was biopsied 6 weeks later, following her heart surgery recovery. The results from the biopsy confirmed Lenore to have Stage 2 Non Small Cell Lung Cancer, adenocarcinoma of the left lung. On April 3rd, 2017, she underwent a lobectomy to have the tumor (then at 3.7cm) removed. Following recovery from surgery #2, we were to meet with her oncologist to discuss starting chemotherapy.
Towards the end of May 2017, Lenore continued to experience extreme pain, discomfort, and other concerning symptoms that prompted her surgeon to request she go to the ER. During her stay at the hospital, x-rays, scans, & a colonoscopy were done. The tests completed throughout her stay revealed a malignant polyp. These undesired results caused the chemotherapy to be postponed, as it was deemed crucial to first perform a colectomy and remove the malignant polyp. After successfully (and flawlessly, I might add) undergoing her third major surgery, our mother was given the news she also has Stage 3 colon cancer, adenocarcinoma.
While continuing to recover (mentally and physically), from her third major surgery in 6 months, we met with her oncologist to get the chemotherapy plan started again. Two weeks later, when attending what was originally planned to be an info meeting with the nurse practitioner, we were given the news that a CT scan revealed yet another nodule, this time on our mother’s liver. We were informed that, to treat the correct cancer first, the origin of the nodule had to be located, which meant another biopsy. Lenore underwent a biopsy on her liver on June 27th, 2017. As we anxiously await the results for this one, her chemotherapy remains on hold.
It is safe to say our mother has gone through more in the past 6 months than some do in a lifetime. It has taken an extreme toll on us mentally and especially financially. While she has remained nothing less than resilient, graceful, and determined throughout this journey, bills are quickly piling up and chemotherapy is soon to begin. The money raised with this gofundme campaign will be used for medical expenses and monthly bills, as she has physically been unable to work since December 2016, leaving her without any monthly income. It has taken a great deal of acceptance for us to ask for financial help from others. With that being said, we are humbly asking for any donation possible to assist our warrior mother in her battle with cancer and road towards a healthier life. Every and any donation will truly make a difference during this time. If unable to donate, every prayer, share, positive thought, and card will be cherished deeply and appreciated.
Organizer
Julia Dombrowski
Organizer
Saint Clair Shores, MI
