Spende geschützt
On July 21, 2016, Andrea's life was turned upside down. A 59 year old seemingly healthy, independent, self supporting, working woman was at her doctor's office with a persistent headache that had begun a couple of days before. Her doctor, concerned by some slurred speech he noticed, suspected a possible stroke and immediately called 911. Andrea was rushed to a local emergency room. In a matter of hours Andrea went from headache to confronting the frightening and aggressive diagnosis of glioblastoma, a fast growing, malignant brain tumor, with a bleak prognosis.
Determined to fight, Andrea endured brain surgery one week later. The majority, but not all of her tumor was removed as a small portion was too deeply embedded to remove without the risk of left sided upper and lower extremity paralysis. Andrea persevered through radiation and chemotherapy only to learn months later that an MRI revealed possible regrowth. Doctors told her the growth was inoperable and they had exhausted her treatment options. She was sent home to die.
Courageously, Andrea, and her determined family and friends would not give up. Attempts to get Andrea into Duke University for evaluation and treatment were denied. Apparently she was not a candidate for any of their clinical trials. However, with dogged persistence Andrea landed at University of Miami in one of 10 facilities in the country that specializes in the treatment of glioblastoma. She was evaluated by their specialists and offered experimental treatment. Firstly, a second brain surgery was perfomed by the treating neurosurgeon where the remainder of her tumor and surrounding scar tissue was completely removed. Thereafter several tests were performed on Andrea's tumor tissue and she was accepted into a clinical trial where tissue from her tumor along with components of her blood are used to make a vaccine that she is injected with multiple times over the course of months.
Andrea is currently undergoing this vaccine treatment and remains determined and hopeful to beat all odds. So far the results have been promising. Andrea intends to be the champion of this disease and its treatment, not only for herself but also for the many others facing this grave diagnosis. And we (her family and friends) know she can do it.
In clinical trial since January 2017 and out of work since her 2016 diagnosis (consequently terminated from her job after 12 weeks of FMLA without pay of course), Andrea's added burden of not having enough money for what she needs to survive, including caring for her two beloved dogs, is an overwhelming fear drawing from the energy she needs for the battle of her life.
Currently Andrea has no health insurance from the state. There has been a lot of red tape and hoops to jump through but we are working on it. As a result of the two brain surgeries, Andrea is no longer able to live independently as she can no longer drive and requires help with activities of daily living. With or without health insurance, Andrea requires private funds for a desperately needed daily Home Healthcare Aide and the cost of transportation to and from her treatments.
Please consider donating to help Andrea fight the fight. These trials are not only aiding her and others but are the springboard for future developments. The research being generated through these studies is essential to help the treatment of this devastating disease. It may also garner information that will contribute to the treatment of other cancers as well.
Whatever your motivation - helping a fellow human being, the caring of dogs, a step forward in science, or just because you can - your help during this time would be invaluable.
No donation is too small. Please share on your FB page and help any other way you can.
YOU= LIFE - SAVER
We thank you for your kindness and compassion. We will keep you updated.
Determined to fight, Andrea endured brain surgery one week later. The majority, but not all of her tumor was removed as a small portion was too deeply embedded to remove without the risk of left sided upper and lower extremity paralysis. Andrea persevered through radiation and chemotherapy only to learn months later that an MRI revealed possible regrowth. Doctors told her the growth was inoperable and they had exhausted her treatment options. She was sent home to die.
Courageously, Andrea, and her determined family and friends would not give up. Attempts to get Andrea into Duke University for evaluation and treatment were denied. Apparently she was not a candidate for any of their clinical trials. However, with dogged persistence Andrea landed at University of Miami in one of 10 facilities in the country that specializes in the treatment of glioblastoma. She was evaluated by their specialists and offered experimental treatment. Firstly, a second brain surgery was perfomed by the treating neurosurgeon where the remainder of her tumor and surrounding scar tissue was completely removed. Thereafter several tests were performed on Andrea's tumor tissue and she was accepted into a clinical trial where tissue from her tumor along with components of her blood are used to make a vaccine that she is injected with multiple times over the course of months.
Andrea is currently undergoing this vaccine treatment and remains determined and hopeful to beat all odds. So far the results have been promising. Andrea intends to be the champion of this disease and its treatment, not only for herself but also for the many others facing this grave diagnosis. And we (her family and friends) know she can do it.
In clinical trial since January 2017 and out of work since her 2016 diagnosis (consequently terminated from her job after 12 weeks of FMLA without pay of course), Andrea's added burden of not having enough money for what she needs to survive, including caring for her two beloved dogs, is an overwhelming fear drawing from the energy she needs for the battle of her life.
Currently Andrea has no health insurance from the state. There has been a lot of red tape and hoops to jump through but we are working on it. As a result of the two brain surgeries, Andrea is no longer able to live independently as she can no longer drive and requires help with activities of daily living. With or without health insurance, Andrea requires private funds for a desperately needed daily Home Healthcare Aide and the cost of transportation to and from her treatments.
Please consider donating to help Andrea fight the fight. These trials are not only aiding her and others but are the springboard for future developments. The research being generated through these studies is essential to help the treatment of this devastating disease. It may also garner information that will contribute to the treatment of other cancers as well.
Whatever your motivation - helping a fellow human being, the caring of dogs, a step forward in science, or just because you can - your help during this time would be invaluable.
No donation is too small. Please share on your FB page and help any other way you can.
YOU= LIFE - SAVER
We thank you for your kindness and compassion. We will keep you updated.
Organisator
Andrea Lightfoot
Organisator
Fort Lauderdale, FL