Hi there, this is for my sister-in-law, Roseanne Charette-Clark (pictured here with her husband, Louis, and their daughter, Kortney). Rosie is one of the sweetest, most loving, caring, and giving people you will ever meet. Life has given Rosie some major obstacles to overcome. Earlier this year Rosie was suffering from what she believed was a nagging ear ache. After weeks of treatment and no improvement, Rosie’s ear infection did not clear up, she was diagnosed with MRSA. Doctors had neither clue where it came from nor how to treat it. They started to do biopsies and three doctors and three biopsies later, Rosie was informed that she had the big “C”, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, the second most common type of skin cancer. In Rosie’s case, it began within her ear and formed a tumor that was lodged between the facial nerves and carotid artery. This development made it one of the rarest cancers to deal with. According to statistics, less than 300 out of 1 million people will suffer from this type of cancer. The doctors opted for radiation and chemo therapy due to both the danger of surgery and the risk of not being able to cease the infection. After 36 rounds of radiation and several rounds of chemo therapy, a CAT scan showed that treatment did not have the desired effect that the doctor hoped for. The infection and the cancer were growing at a rapid rate.
The only option to handle it would be surgery to remove any infected tissue. Within 2 weeks of the first surgery, Rosie had to have a second emergency surgery due to the infection worsening and the development of a hematoma on her earlobe. Doctors removed most of Rosie’s ear and she was left with a whole on the side of her head the size of an egg. While waiting for the infection to clear up, Rosie had several setbacks. Continued doctor visits revealed that the tumor was more aggressive than they had thought, and that there were only a couple of options for her. Rosie and her husband, Louis, traveled to NYC to see specialists hoping to hear good news. Just to return with the news that nothing could be done as long as she still suffered from an open wound..
The tumor and the infection have taken their toll on Rosie. She could not eat and therefore had lost a significant amount of weight; the doctors were worried that she would not be able to undergo surgery. She was given two options. The first being, that they could go in and do surgery with an outcome that would be less than favorable for Rosie. Since the aggressively fast growing tumor was pressing on an artery to her brain, surgery around it would put her at extremely high risk of having a stroke while on the operating table and becoming paralyzed or even worse. The second was that she could do nothing and go home and enjoy the few weeks or month of her life with her family and loved ones.
Rosie continued to suffer with the increasing pain and decided that she really only had one choice; she had to go through with the surgery. After all she was no quitter and had a family to take care of. Rosie had the surgery on October 13th, and it took 16 hours and 11 doctors to get into that stubborn head of hers and do what they could to save her. The good news is that the tumor was completely removed and the infection was brought under control. The bad news is that the cancerous cells under the artery could not be touched. After several hours of muscle replacement and skin grafts, all taken from her own body, while she was in surgery, the surgeons did what could be done at this time. Rosie will have to heal a little more and get some strength back before fighting another round with cancer treatment and more reconstructive surgery.
Insurance will pay for most of the costs but not all. Her medical bills have reached over one million dollars already, and medical and travel expenses are adding up on top of a loss of income. I believe Rosie and Louis are too humble to ask for a hand out from anyone, but a lot of people have asked “How can I help out”, or say, “If there is something I can do”. Well I am asking for your help. We like having our goofy, carefree Rosie around and we do not want her to have to stress over how to pay for all of this.
Please, if you can find it in your heart to help out, any donations will truly be appreciated.
My heartfelt thanks,
Heidi Charette
The only option to handle it would be surgery to remove any infected tissue. Within 2 weeks of the first surgery, Rosie had to have a second emergency surgery due to the infection worsening and the development of a hematoma on her earlobe. Doctors removed most of Rosie’s ear and she was left with a whole on the side of her head the size of an egg. While waiting for the infection to clear up, Rosie had several setbacks. Continued doctor visits revealed that the tumor was more aggressive than they had thought, and that there were only a couple of options for her. Rosie and her husband, Louis, traveled to NYC to see specialists hoping to hear good news. Just to return with the news that nothing could be done as long as she still suffered from an open wound..
The tumor and the infection have taken their toll on Rosie. She could not eat and therefore had lost a significant amount of weight; the doctors were worried that she would not be able to undergo surgery. She was given two options. The first being, that they could go in and do surgery with an outcome that would be less than favorable for Rosie. Since the aggressively fast growing tumor was pressing on an artery to her brain, surgery around it would put her at extremely high risk of having a stroke while on the operating table and becoming paralyzed or even worse. The second was that she could do nothing and go home and enjoy the few weeks or month of her life with her family and loved ones.
Rosie continued to suffer with the increasing pain and decided that she really only had one choice; she had to go through with the surgery. After all she was no quitter and had a family to take care of. Rosie had the surgery on October 13th, and it took 16 hours and 11 doctors to get into that stubborn head of hers and do what they could to save her. The good news is that the tumor was completely removed and the infection was brought under control. The bad news is that the cancerous cells under the artery could not be touched. After several hours of muscle replacement and skin grafts, all taken from her own body, while she was in surgery, the surgeons did what could be done at this time. Rosie will have to heal a little more and get some strength back before fighting another round with cancer treatment and more reconstructive surgery.
Insurance will pay for most of the costs but not all. Her medical bills have reached over one million dollars already, and medical and travel expenses are adding up on top of a loss of income. I believe Rosie and Louis are too humble to ask for a hand out from anyone, but a lot of people have asked “How can I help out”, or say, “If there is something I can do”. Well I am asking for your help. We like having our goofy, carefree Rosie around and we do not want her to have to stress over how to pay for all of this.
Please, if you can find it in your heart to help out, any donations will truly be appreciated.
My heartfelt thanks,
Heidi Charette
Organizer and beneficiary
Roseanne Clark
Beneficiary