Help Ms. Melby and Aaron Newman’s Family

Plato Academy and friends of Ms. Melby are fundraising to assist her family with medical/other expenses at this time.  In August, Aaron (Ms. Melby’s fiancé) was admitted to the hospital because he was having some stomach pains and was jaundiced.  They found a growth on his pancreas.  In early September he was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer.  The plan was to get him through chemotherapy treatments to shrink the tumor so he can have the Whipple surgery done to remove the tumor.  Through the months of September-December he was admitted to the hospital multiple times because of complications from the tumor.  He completed his chemotherapy treatment in late November and was scheduled to get the Whipple surgery on January 4th.  When the surgical oncologist went in to remove the tumor, he found that it was much larger and much worse than what showed up on all of the scans.    They ended up completing a gastric bypass surgery (minus stapling his stomach) because the tumor was blocking the entrance to his small intestines so he was unable to digest any food.  He was released from the hospital with strict orders to eat as much food as he possibly can to prepare for the next step of treatment.  In February, Aaron will hopefully be able to receive radiation and chemotherapy treatments to shrink the tumor and get him as much time as possible to spend with his family.  Aaron is a loving and devoted parent and partner.  Any donation is SOO very much appreciated for a wonderful teacher, dear friend, colleague, and her family.  Thank you and warmest regards to everyone!