Support for Melissa

Melissa Engelhart is a 2nd grade teacher at Aurora Elementary in West Fargo, ND. She has been at Aurora since it opened in 2007 and before that was a teacher at Westside Elementary in West Fargo, ND. She lives in Fargo with her family Shawn, Cameron, Jack and their dog Tucker. In 1998 Melissa was diagnosed with mouth cancer in which she received radiation for. She is a fighter and beat cancer for over 20 years! In December of 2020, she was diagnosed with mouth cancer again, and had to undergo a mandibulectomy of her lower left jaw. The bone had become necrotic because of previous radiation treatments. Her jawbone was rebuilt using her left fibula bone and the cancer was removed. She has since been trying to recover and regain her speech and eating abilities as they were severely affected from that procedure. Just when she was starting to regain all she had lost, in September of 2021, she felt she had swollen lymph nodes in her neck and chin. Praying it was something other than cancer, she went to Mayo Clinic in Rochester for a PET scan. Much to her and her family’s disappointment and dismay, they diagnosed her with cancer. She had surgery in September, and they removed 20 lymph nodes from her neck. Of those lymph nodes removed, seven were found to be cancerous. Doctors determined she would need chemotherapy and radiation for treatment.

On November 8th, 2021, Melissa will begin 6 weeks of proton beam radiation and 3 high-dose chemotherapy treatments at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Due to the type of radiation she is receiving, she is unable to do it in Fargo, so she and her family will have to stay at a hotel or Airbnb for at least 6 weeks. She will need treatment 5 days a week. All of the procedures performed to and around her mouth have made eating and drinking nearly impossible for Melissa and she is now receiving her nutrients from a feeding tube that was placed in October. She will also be completing speech therapy while getting treatment.

She has used extended medical leaves for the school years 20-21 and now 21-22. She was placed on catastrophic leave due to both illnesses in such a short time. Melissa is one of the kindest, most empathetic, and generous people we know. Not only is she an amazing teacher, whom her students love and miss so much, but is a wonderful friend and human.

These illnesses have caused so many expenses, now add to it having to stay in Rochester for such a long period of time and pay for lodging; we want to be able to help alleviate some of the stress that comes along with such a serious illness.

She has been so grateful for all the love and support of her family and friends. She feels so blessed to have so many people sending her positive thoughts and prayers and they continue to give her strength and comfort. She would never ask for more, but we want to try and give her as much support as we can and we know there are others who feel the same way.

Thank you for your support and donations,

Love, Nikki Anderson and Kristi Wester