Help Wendy Fight Cancer!

On January 17th, our entire world shifted when our incredible mom, Wendy Rossberg, was diagnosed with tongue cancer. She has always been an active, healthy, energetic woman, so when the doctor called with her diagnosis, we were in shock.

If you know Wendy, you know she’s the thread that holds our family together - the one who never asks for help but is always the first to give it. The one whose heart holds space for everyone, no matter what she’s facing. Whether it’s family, friends, neighbors, her students and even their families - she’s spent her whole life taking care of others, always finding a way to make sure that everyone in her life knows that they are loved and valued. Now it’s our turn to take care of her.

About Wendy

Wendy is a lifelong educator, dog mom (and human mom), caring wife, and so much more. She’s been teaching in Oceanside, NY for the majority of her career, leaving a lasting impact on hundreds of students and their families. In 2018, she was named as one of three New York state finalists in the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching for her creative and engaging approach to teaching math.

The Diagnosis

In the numbing shock we felt after our call with the doctor, our new reality hung heavily over us as the full scope of the months ahead became clear. Emotions blurred together as we felt waves of anger, grief, confusion, disbelief, and fear; we held each other and cried. As we unpacked the information, a fresh wave of grief washed over Mom as she realized that she wouldn’t be able to finish the year with her second graders - she was completely devastated.

The Surgery

On February 12th, just weeks after her diagnosis, she faced a daunting 13-hour surgery, during which doctors removed and reconstructed nearly half of her tongue, and removed 44 lymph nodes from one side. The highly complex and specialized micro surgery involved multiple tissue grafts and reconnecting many tiny blood vessels and nerves in her tongue and her arm (which provided donor tissue for the reconstruction).

After the day-long procedure, she spent two days in the ICU followed by an additional 10 days in the hospital, unable to talk or eat, with us by her side. We were her caregivers and advocates, arriving at the hospital early and staying late. Her recovery, though challenging, was remarkable - her favorite nurse took to calling her “The Little Wendy That Could.”

She returned home on February 22, and it’s been a rollercoaster ever since. During those first few days, we learned how to change her bandages, administer her medications, and how to care for her specialized needs at the time. There were some complications during her recovery, landing her in the ER several times. One visit ended up requiring a minor outpatient surgery to correct an issue she was experiencing. We thought the surgery and her post-op recovery would be the worst of it, but then radiation began.

Radiation

Mom’s treatment required 6-weeks of daily radiation. The doctors had explained the radiation plan, side effects, and even the timeline she was expected to experience the side effects in. The next phase of her treatment began, and every Monday through Friday, our Dad drove her to and from Manhattan for radiation (honorable mentions to Paula and Bert, who went out of their way to accompany Mom to treatment when Dad wasn’t able to be there).

The side effects began earlier than expected, and arrived with ferocity. After enduring the surgery and recovery, she spent another six weeks unable to eat and barely able to talk. She described the radiation treatments as a walk through hell, emerging after six weeks burnt to a crisp, but victorious nonetheless.

She had her final radiation treatment on Friday, May 2. This has been far more challenging than any of us could have ever imagined. We’re all in awe of the strength and resilience she’s shown; and though the finish line is in sight, the journey isn’t over.

The Path Ahead & Why We Need Your Help

This has been an incredibly emotional, frightening, traumatic, and difficult journey and it’s hit our entire family very hard. The impact of cancer goes far beyond the physical and emotional toll. Even with insurance, the medical bills are astronomical. But it’s the things insurance doesn’t cover - the hidden costs - that really snuck up on us. Travel for treatments, time away from work, medications, home care, trips to the emergency room, parking and everyday expenses added up fast.

As we embark on the final stretch towards her recovery, the last thing we want is for Mom to feel stressed about finances when she should be focused on healing.

How You Can Make A Difference:

We’ve set up this GoFundMe to help with:

✅ Out-of-pocket medical expenses

✅ Travel and lodging for treatments

✅ Daily costs while our parents have been unable to work

✅ Anything that helps ease Mom’s burden

We know times are tough for everyone, and truly, any amount helps. Even if you’re not able to give, simply sharing this page with your network would mean the world to us.

Mom has always believed in the power of community, and we do too. Let’s show her she’s not in this fight alone. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your love, generosity, and support.

We’d like to say a special thank you to those who have already offered their love, support, and prayers these past five months. We could not have gotten here without you.

We’ll be sharing occasional updates as she continues her recovery this summer.

A Note From Wendy

Seven years ago, there was a small sore on my tongue. The biopsy back then was negative, but it never quite went away. There were times my tongue would burn, but it had been diagnosed as Burning Tongue Syndrome, so I took my medications and went on with life.

In October 2024, my symptoms returned with a vengeance and the sore on my tongue grew alarmingly fast. In the month that passed between my diagnosis and my surgery, the tumor nearly doubled in size.

The past five months have been unbearably traumatic and challenging. If I have learned anything during this time, it’s that we need to listen to our bodies. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, push for answers, or to advocate for yourself. You know your body best, and if something doesn’t feel right, don’t ignore it or let anyone - doctors included - dismiss it. I can’t help but wonder what might have been different if I had trusted my body when it tried to tell me something was wrong.

If someone had told me that I would need a GoFundMe page of my own, I never would have believed them. I’ve always been strong and healthy, and have always taken good care of myself and my body - this diagnosis caught me completely off guard and has changed everything. While I’m still processing the path my life has taken, I am determined to make a complete recovery and return to living my life with joy and gratitude.