I am starting this fundraiser to help the family of Nicole McLaughlin a 9 year old girl who has stage 4 Osteosarcoma (bone cancer) with medical expenses.  The McLaughlin family hold a very special place in our hearts to myself and my family,  They are friends and neighbors of ours.  Nicole and her sister Rebecca are friends with my granddaughters Shyanne and Siarrah.

Nicole was diagnosed with bone cancer in her left leg in December of 2018, at the time of diagnosis the cancer was localized in her leg.  She went through 7 months of chemotherapy which was completed on Wednesday July 31, 2019.  She had surgery to remove the tumor which required replacement of her femur, knee, and tibia with prosthetic bones and is continuing  her physical therapy.

At the end of her grueling 7 months of  chemotherapy treatments Nicole rang the bell in victory at All Children's Hospital in St. Pete.  Her family was planning on Nicole to finish healing and moving forward in her life as life was before she got sick.

 Just 3 weeks after Nicole finished receiving her chemotherapy treatments and after Nicole rang the bell in Victory a scan revealed that the cancer metastasized to both her lungs (Pulmonary Sarcoma), she now has stage 4 cancer.

 Nicole recently started more aggressive chemotherapy treatments and needs 2 lung surgeries, one in November and one in February.    




Here is a photo and video of Nicole at the end of her chemotherapy treatments ringing the bell in Victory!



Nicole was very athletic her passions were soccer, skate boarding and archery.



Sisterly Love, a picture is worth a thousand words!



Nicole hasn't been to school since her diagnosis, she is being home schooled.  Even while enduring 7 months of
chemotherapy, having surgery and enduring daily pain Nicole graduated third grade being on the Honor Roll.
 Quite an amazing feat if I may say so.  

When I spoke to Olga a few days ago this is what she had to say about her daughter Nicole.  "I just feel that we live in a nightmare dream right now that will end and everything will get back to normal.  I really want to believe that we'll be back to normal.  There is no logical reason for her to have cancer.  She does not deserve this struggle.  She is so smart, so curious about the world, loves animals, loves science, loves nature.  She wants to protect the environment, already has a few ideas on keeping the environment clean.  She has such high goals such as going to University, she even knows which University.  She has to have the chance to make her input in the world, try to change the world for the better."

I hope this Go Fund Me post will help the  McLaughlin family with their exorborant medical expenses for Nicole that are not covered by health insurance.  Please pray for her recovery and any amount of donation is not too small to help them overcome this difficult phase in their lives, thank you in advance from the McLaughlin Family and myself.