Jennifer's Courageous Fight
Donation protected
Jennifer lost her battle with cancer early this November. Jennifer was a loving mother, wife and friend. She was a Special Education Instructional Assistant for the Frederick County Public Schools, and loved her job and the students she was assigned to. She loved being involved in school activities as it showed by being one of the original Team Moms for the Oakdale High School Football and Wrestling teams, for which our two sons played.
Jennifer found out that she had cancer on June 22, 2019 the day after she finished the school year and was getting ready to begin a fun filled summer which included moving our daughter to college at Michigan State University. She was diagnosed on July 8th with High Grade Non-Hodgkins B-cell lymphoma at Johns Hopkins Medical Center. Jennifer was never sick and did not show any symptoms of the disease until that awful Friday. We were told that this type of lymphoma is very rare and Johns Hopkins has not seen very many cases or had the opportunity to treat them.
Jennifer was always certain of herself, certain that she would beat this disease, and as most friends knew of her, she was very stubborn and would never take NO for an answer. These and many more wonderful qualities that she had, is what attracted me to her and made me fall in love with her.
Upon finding out about her diagnosis, Jennifer put her full health and faith in the wonderful, caring, and dedicated doctors, nurses and professionals at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, MD.
Jennifer was first critical care transported to Johns Hopkins after her kidneys and liver were beginning to shut down due to her body breaking down the tumors in her body (tumor lysing). We were waiting to find out what treatments to receive, however this took a bit longer since the insurance company declined a PET scan that the doctor requested and instead required us to go for a biopsy. Due to this her body began fighting the disease which overwhelmed her organs. When we arrived at Hopkins she was placed on continuous dialysis for 3 continuous days in order to give her organs some time to heal. She went through this type of dialysis on two more occasions, while receiving her treatments. Jennifer went through three (4) different treatments of chemotherapy. While receiving her chemo the doctor also requested the insurance to approve a cancer drug which in conjunction with her chemo could have helped. However the insurance denied the use of the drug, as they considered the use of such drug experimental with her cancer type and because of how expensive it is. About $25,000 per month. However her doctor was certain of the use of it.
As soon as we found out that the insurance denied and the reason behind it, we told the doctors that we will go ahead and pay for it out of our own pocket, for which we did.
Throughout her chemo treatments and all her medical stays at Hopkins, Jennifer was always eager and even volunteered to have students come and take blood and other samples for study without any hesitation. Even when she was receiving CT scans, ultrasounds whenever a doctor asked if other individuals who were doing their residency at the hospital could also practice and do the exams, she never hesitated. Jennifer always said that if her disease can help teach others, and help others she was for it. She once stayed for 2 hours while getting a scan done of her abdomen, so that other students can see and practice.
While receiving her chemo she never complained of how hard the treatments were and even said "that if this is how one feels after receiving chemo, then this is a piece of cake". Even after going through all the treatments, and when we were informed that there was no other chemo treatments available to treat her, and that the time left is measured in days, Jennifer found the strength to thank her Doctor for all he did and tried to do in treating her. That is who Jennifer was.
Even while receiving chemotherapy and being in the hospital, Jennifer continued to do videos for her student (Matthew) who she was assigned to while at Oakdale Elementary school for the last two years.
The funds raised here will go towards paying off the drugs that the insurance company refused to approve, and all the other hospital bills received.
Jennifer was the love of my life, a terrific mother, the rock that kept our family strong, a true friend and a caring teacher. She was taken from us way too soon and her spirit and love is and will be missed. If there is such a thing where you get to meet your soulmate in the after life, I hope I am lucky enough to meet and be with her again.
Jennifer found out that she had cancer on June 22, 2019 the day after she finished the school year and was getting ready to begin a fun filled summer which included moving our daughter to college at Michigan State University. She was diagnosed on July 8th with High Grade Non-Hodgkins B-cell lymphoma at Johns Hopkins Medical Center. Jennifer was never sick and did not show any symptoms of the disease until that awful Friday. We were told that this type of lymphoma is very rare and Johns Hopkins has not seen very many cases or had the opportunity to treat them.
Jennifer was always certain of herself, certain that she would beat this disease, and as most friends knew of her, she was very stubborn and would never take NO for an answer. These and many more wonderful qualities that she had, is what attracted me to her and made me fall in love with her.
Upon finding out about her diagnosis, Jennifer put her full health and faith in the wonderful, caring, and dedicated doctors, nurses and professionals at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, MD.
Jennifer was first critical care transported to Johns Hopkins after her kidneys and liver were beginning to shut down due to her body breaking down the tumors in her body (tumor lysing). We were waiting to find out what treatments to receive, however this took a bit longer since the insurance company declined a PET scan that the doctor requested and instead required us to go for a biopsy. Due to this her body began fighting the disease which overwhelmed her organs. When we arrived at Hopkins she was placed on continuous dialysis for 3 continuous days in order to give her organs some time to heal. She went through this type of dialysis on two more occasions, while receiving her treatments. Jennifer went through three (4) different treatments of chemotherapy. While receiving her chemo the doctor also requested the insurance to approve a cancer drug which in conjunction with her chemo could have helped. However the insurance denied the use of the drug, as they considered the use of such drug experimental with her cancer type and because of how expensive it is. About $25,000 per month. However her doctor was certain of the use of it.
As soon as we found out that the insurance denied and the reason behind it, we told the doctors that we will go ahead and pay for it out of our own pocket, for which we did.
Throughout her chemo treatments and all her medical stays at Hopkins, Jennifer was always eager and even volunteered to have students come and take blood and other samples for study without any hesitation. Even when she was receiving CT scans, ultrasounds whenever a doctor asked if other individuals who were doing their residency at the hospital could also practice and do the exams, she never hesitated. Jennifer always said that if her disease can help teach others, and help others she was for it. She once stayed for 2 hours while getting a scan done of her abdomen, so that other students can see and practice.
While receiving her chemo she never complained of how hard the treatments were and even said "that if this is how one feels after receiving chemo, then this is a piece of cake". Even after going through all the treatments, and when we were informed that there was no other chemo treatments available to treat her, and that the time left is measured in days, Jennifer found the strength to thank her Doctor for all he did and tried to do in treating her. That is who Jennifer was.
Even while receiving chemotherapy and being in the hospital, Jennifer continued to do videos for her student (Matthew) who she was assigned to while at Oakdale Elementary school for the last two years.
The funds raised here will go towards paying off the drugs that the insurance company refused to approve, and all the other hospital bills received.
Jennifer was the love of my life, a terrific mother, the rock that kept our family strong, a true friend and a caring teacher. She was taken from us way too soon and her spirit and love is and will be missed. If there is such a thing where you get to meet your soulmate in the after life, I hope I am lucky enough to meet and be with her again.
Organizer
Jennifer Cunningham Simonica
Organizer
New Market, MD