Help Vallerie Fight Rare Stage 4 Cancer!

Hi my name is Diane I've worked with Vallerie's mom for over 17 years in a dental office. My coworkers and I have been friends with Andrea and her husband Chuck for around 17 years and we are a tight knit office, friends and we're all like family. Once my coworkers and I heard what her daughter Vallerie was going through we were all completely heartbroken. We knew we needed to help and that's why I'm holding a fundraiser for Vallerie.

 

Vallerie who is only 31 years old has been diagnosed with Cancer that is Extremely Rare, Aggressive and has spread to her Lungs.

 

 

Here is her Story:

 

 

 

 

If you have ever met Vallerie, you know she is an avid hiker who is always headed on a new adventure with the desire to solve any problem in her way. She strives to find the positive in all situations and lives to help and support others in any way that she can.

 

 

 

 

 

If you’ve never met Vallerie before this, she was previously a healthy, active yoga teacher. She works as a Team Leader for the Customer Service department at North Spore Mushroom Company and she's generally an energetic confident woman.

 

At the beginning of November, Vallerie started to notice a wheeze and increasing shortness of breath. After her recent knee reconstruction in September, she figured it was related and tried to push on. At the same time, Vallerie and her recently engaged fiancé, Jason, were given 30-days notice to move out of their apartment of over 3 years.

 

 

 

The month of November continued as her symptoms started worsening. By the end of November, Vallerie had developed a cough, radiating pain in her shoulder and neck and was short of breath even at rest. Jason and a wonderful group of friends helped with the entire move while Vallerie struggled to breath. All this time she’s thinking she’s just worn out or has a bad cold.

 

On 12/3, she decided it was time to go to Urgent Care and they immediately sent her to the local ER after seeing that her entire left lung cavity was full of fluid.

 

 

 

 

This began the long road towards a rare and aggressive cancer diagnosis. By chance, doctors discovered a tumor in her leg and with further pathology testing it showed it was related to her lung fluid accumulation. The diagnosis then became metastatic soft tissue sarcoma which is a very rare cancer with a poor prognosis. As you can imagine, this diagnosis has completely devastated Vallerie, Jason and her family and friends.

 

 

 

 

To make matters worse, between her worsening illness and having to move out of their apartment, Vallerie was losing her faculties with the lack of oxygen and lapsed payment on her health insurance. This has resulted in a bill totalling over $50,000 for the 3 day emergency hospital stay, 40+ tests and scans, and subsequent treatments in the month of December. She desperately tried to appeal with no avail and continues to investigate options in this regard.

 

With no light at the end of the tunnel of illness and dealing with insurance, a debt this large is crippling for this young couple who have struggled to continue to maintain full-time jobs working for the companies that they love to their now greatly increased financial responsibilities.

 

Vallerie begins chemotherapy treatment soon and faces a long road of indefinite treatments with no idea if she will be able to maintain a job at all. Jason faces the same issues as her primary caregiver. It is a complete nightmare for the both of them.

 

 

 

 

While she is insured as of January 1st 2022, this debt she incurred in December is still her responsibility. They desperately need your help to alleviate some of this stress during such a hard time.

 

If you can offer any Advice or Support, Vallerie, Jason and their community of family and friends will be eternally grateful. ❤️

If you prefer to donate directly, Jasons's Venmo is @Jason-Lagasse or reach out for a mailing address.  THANK YOU