Mom's Treatment & Recovery
Donation protected
My mom, Millie, fairly recently discovered a tumor developing on her face, right beside her tragus, in front of her ear. What she thought to be a cyst, is now diagnosed malignant and rapidly growing, causing intense daily migraines, and with continued growth has the potential to lead to hearing loss, or worse.
She was diagnosed with cancer after a biopsy of the tumor, and we aren't sure of much more at this point other than 1) it needs to be removed, and 2) she will need radiation and chemotherapy afterwards. It started as skin cancer and has spread to the surrounding lymph nodes, and is now potentially developed into cancer within her ear canal, or potentially has spread elsewhere. We are praying for the lesser of these evils.
Since the tumor is in a very sensitive area, it requires that she travel to Stanford from her home in Reno to see a specialist, regularly, for a series of tests to fully assess the severity of the situation before they can schedule an operation. The best case scenario is that the tumor can simply be removed, which will require a skin graft taken from her wrist, and a second reconstructive surgery to ensure that she's still able to close her eye on that side, as the nerves in her face will be affected by the removal. The sooner we can get these tests scheduled and completed, the less time the tumor will have to continue growing, and the more time my mom will have to recover before her youngest daughter's wedding this October.
My mom has battled health issues for years, and with every new battle she's faced, she inspires me with her perseverance and strength. She is on disability and does not make enough money to afford more than her bare minimum needs, hence the overwhelming financial anxiety that this diagnosis brings with it to her and our family. Any support is truly appreciated and nothing is too small. Every dime will go directly to covering the costs of travel back and forth, on top of the medical bills we anticipate. We're researching what discounts in travel/lodging are available to her as a cancer patient of Stanford, and all eligible discounts will be applied.
Thank you for sharing in our story, as the currency we need the most are your prayers and love. We appreciate any and all support.
Sincerely,
Millie's daughter, Laura
She was diagnosed with cancer after a biopsy of the tumor, and we aren't sure of much more at this point other than 1) it needs to be removed, and 2) she will need radiation and chemotherapy afterwards. It started as skin cancer and has spread to the surrounding lymph nodes, and is now potentially developed into cancer within her ear canal, or potentially has spread elsewhere. We are praying for the lesser of these evils.
Since the tumor is in a very sensitive area, it requires that she travel to Stanford from her home in Reno to see a specialist, regularly, for a series of tests to fully assess the severity of the situation before they can schedule an operation. The best case scenario is that the tumor can simply be removed, which will require a skin graft taken from her wrist, and a second reconstructive surgery to ensure that she's still able to close her eye on that side, as the nerves in her face will be affected by the removal. The sooner we can get these tests scheduled and completed, the less time the tumor will have to continue growing, and the more time my mom will have to recover before her youngest daughter's wedding this October.
My mom has battled health issues for years, and with every new battle she's faced, she inspires me with her perseverance and strength. She is on disability and does not make enough money to afford more than her bare minimum needs, hence the overwhelming financial anxiety that this diagnosis brings with it to her and our family. Any support is truly appreciated and nothing is too small. Every dime will go directly to covering the costs of travel back and forth, on top of the medical bills we anticipate. We're researching what discounts in travel/lodging are available to her as a cancer patient of Stanford, and all eligible discounts will be applied.
Thank you for sharing in our story, as the currency we need the most are your prayers and love. We appreciate any and all support.
Sincerely,
Millie's daughter, Laura
Organizer
Laura Folker
Organizer
Fountain Valley, CA
