HOPE FOR GABBIE
Donation protected
Today Gabbie's family was given some very devastating & shocking news.
This gofundme was started to help raise money for Gabbie and family and help relieve some financial burden.
Any donations would be a blessing for this family, if you are unable to make a donation at this time, I ask you to please if anything pray for Gabbie and her family during this devastating time.
You can see a some of Gabbie's Journey written below, but for the must updated information you can go to http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/gabbiethompson
or
https://www.facebook.com/hopeforgabbie
*Gabbies Story*
Gabbie is a spirited, charming, inquisitive, and loving 4 1/2 year old little girl. In many ways, she is just like her twin sister, Isabelle. Unlike other children of the same age though, Gabbie has been on a fighting journey to be healthy. In June 2012, Gabbie was diagnosed with a very rare liver tumor cancer called Hepatoblastoma. Although we already knew it, she really is 1 in a million as this affects just 1 child in 1.5 million!
Despite the rareness of this particular form, doctors were quite hopeful and confident that this would only be a bump in the road of life. The plan was to use a combination of chemotherapy drugs which have ended up not being successful and beating this cancer. This unknown road had many twists and turns that included regular hospital stays and clinic visits, constant nausea at times, mouth sores, dangerous fevers, blood transfusions, frequent trips to the ER, and watching her beautiful curls fall out.
Gabbie’s persistent spirit got her through the treatments and surgery and all was finally looking up. About 3 months later right before her 3rd birthday, our hearts sank as we learned her blood counts were indicating the cancer had returned. She underwent surgery for a second time to remove the new tumor and to fix a diaphragmatic hernia that was discovered during her full body scan. A few weeks later she started a new chemotherapy regimen with stronger medications in hopes it would kill the cancer cells.
After just 2 cycles her counts were increasing rather than decreasing, indicating the new drugs were not affecting the cancer and a scan showed a new tumor had formed. She was switched to even more powerful medications with stronger side effects. Her treatments involved 5 day stays in the hospital for close monitoring, while she was receiving the treatments and also frequent trips to the clinic to check her blood counts. We tried to think of it as another bump in the road and not let the fear take over. Fingers and toes were crossed that this was finally going to let her be on the road to good health!
New from here**Again just 2 cycles in, the news was another devastating blow. Gabbie’s counts were on the rise and the tumor had more than doubled in size. She had a third surgery to remove the tumor and started a new chemotherapy regimen. After the previous two surgeries, Gabbie’s blood counts showed significant decrease in the cancer levels but this time this was not the case. There were probably still cancer cells roaming around looking for trouble! The choice was made to add an additional drug to the combination that was significantly stronger. Although these cycles hit Gabbie the hardest out of all the treatments she’d had with severe nausea, mouth sores and generally feeling ill, it was not killing the cancer after a few cycles.
In January 2014, Gabbie’s doctor declared that Gabbie would not win this battle. That was simply not an option! For almost an entire year, Gabbie’s parents researched and tried various alternative methods, searching for ‘the one’ that would save Gabbie. Some treatments worked better than others and Gabbie remained a true fighter still with her sweet and silly personality.
Just after Thanksgiving last month it was noticed that Gabbie’s abdomen appeared distended. A doctor visit confirmed a fear that we never thought we’d face; the tumors were growing uncontrollably. Just days later Gabbie’s liver started failing. Without proper function, there are no other medications that can be used to kill or even just control the tumors.
Miracles happen and Gabbie deserves one after fighting so hard for 2 ½ years!
This gofundme was started to help raise money for Gabbie and family and help relieve some financial burden.
Any donations would be a blessing for this family, if you are unable to make a donation at this time, I ask you to please if anything pray for Gabbie and her family during this devastating time.
You can see a some of Gabbie's Journey written below, but for the must updated information you can go to http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/gabbiethompson
or
https://www.facebook.com/hopeforgabbie
*Gabbies Story*
Gabbie is a spirited, charming, inquisitive, and loving 4 1/2 year old little girl. In many ways, she is just like her twin sister, Isabelle. Unlike other children of the same age though, Gabbie has been on a fighting journey to be healthy. In June 2012, Gabbie was diagnosed with a very rare liver tumor cancer called Hepatoblastoma. Although we already knew it, she really is 1 in a million as this affects just 1 child in 1.5 million!
Despite the rareness of this particular form, doctors were quite hopeful and confident that this would only be a bump in the road of life. The plan was to use a combination of chemotherapy drugs which have ended up not being successful and beating this cancer. This unknown road had many twists and turns that included regular hospital stays and clinic visits, constant nausea at times, mouth sores, dangerous fevers, blood transfusions, frequent trips to the ER, and watching her beautiful curls fall out.
Gabbie’s persistent spirit got her through the treatments and surgery and all was finally looking up. About 3 months later right before her 3rd birthday, our hearts sank as we learned her blood counts were indicating the cancer had returned. She underwent surgery for a second time to remove the new tumor and to fix a diaphragmatic hernia that was discovered during her full body scan. A few weeks later she started a new chemotherapy regimen with stronger medications in hopes it would kill the cancer cells.
After just 2 cycles her counts were increasing rather than decreasing, indicating the new drugs were not affecting the cancer and a scan showed a new tumor had formed. She was switched to even more powerful medications with stronger side effects. Her treatments involved 5 day stays in the hospital for close monitoring, while she was receiving the treatments and also frequent trips to the clinic to check her blood counts. We tried to think of it as another bump in the road and not let the fear take over. Fingers and toes were crossed that this was finally going to let her be on the road to good health!
New from here**Again just 2 cycles in, the news was another devastating blow. Gabbie’s counts were on the rise and the tumor had more than doubled in size. She had a third surgery to remove the tumor and started a new chemotherapy regimen. After the previous two surgeries, Gabbie’s blood counts showed significant decrease in the cancer levels but this time this was not the case. There were probably still cancer cells roaming around looking for trouble! The choice was made to add an additional drug to the combination that was significantly stronger. Although these cycles hit Gabbie the hardest out of all the treatments she’d had with severe nausea, mouth sores and generally feeling ill, it was not killing the cancer after a few cycles.
In January 2014, Gabbie’s doctor declared that Gabbie would not win this battle. That was simply not an option! For almost an entire year, Gabbie’s parents researched and tried various alternative methods, searching for ‘the one’ that would save Gabbie. Some treatments worked better than others and Gabbie remained a true fighter still with her sweet and silly personality.
Just after Thanksgiving last month it was noticed that Gabbie’s abdomen appeared distended. A doctor visit confirmed a fear that we never thought we’d face; the tumors were growing uncontrollably. Just days later Gabbie’s liver started failing. Without proper function, there are no other medications that can be used to kill or even just control the tumors.
Miracles happen and Gabbie deserves one after fighting so hard for 2 ½ years!
Organizer
Jennifer Kopp
Organizer
Chantilly, VA
