Stronger Than Cancer
Donation protected
2020 has been an emotional roller coaster for Zach’s family and we are all struggling to how to come to terms with it. In February Michelle, Zach’s mother, started experiencing severe migraines that progressed from just a migraine to loss of peripheral vision in one of her eyes. Michelle was rushed to the ER and after many tests the doctors confirmed she had experienced a stroke. While her brain had hemorrhaged they believed the swelling would go down and after a few days in hospital she was released with a terrible headache and loss of full vision, however the doctors were optimistic she would recuperate and recover.
A couple of weeks later another severe migraine and loss of vision returned and after getting Michelle to the ER in La Crosse she was transferred and admitted to the stroke unit at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. This was now her second stroke and after several CT scans and many tests they discovered small tumors on Michelle’s brain, as well as the possibility of a spot on her lungs. All of this was happening during the COVID pandemic so no visitors were allowed to support her through this and she endured this experience alone. Michelle was discharged from Mayo for further treatment in La Crosse and she returned home to rest. Thankfully, Michelle even started to feel a bit better and some of her vision returned.
Unfortunately, this ordeal was not over. Towards the end of March, for a third time, Michelle was rushed back to ER with the most severe migraine of them all and loss of vision from what would be her third stroke. And with this hospital stay, on March 28th, we received the heartbreaking news that no one expected to hear: Michelle was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney cancer that has spread to her lungs and to her brain.
Michelle underwent her first radiation treatment on her brain days later in hospital and has since finished her radiation treatment. She will now be undergoing an aggressive chemotherapy treatment with extremely high hopes to put this cancer into remission.
Hospital stays are not inexpensive and Michelle has endured many days and many nights alone in both Gundersen Lutheran in La Crosse, as well as the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. Anyone who knows her will tell you Michelle is incredibly close with her parents, Gary and Connie Buros, and she has moved home to stay with them through her treatment.
Michelle’s parents are the most genuine, altruistic, caring people you could hope for in parents. This is why I am starting this GoFundMe page to raise money to help pay for some of Michelle’s medical bills, as well as to also help her parents with the ongoing expenses for Michelle’s care and wellbeing to alleviate as much stress as possible for Michelle and her parents. There are many moving parts to the aggressive treatment she is undergoing to put this cancer into remission and Michelle is fighting this with all the strength she has.
If you able to help a bit please do consider donating - even $5.00 will help to go towards relieving Michelle and her family of the financial stress that has come with this devastating diagnosis.
Michelle is a loving mother to Zach, Tristan and Rhiannon. She is a devoted daughter to Gary and Connie and she is a caring sister to Lisa – and she is my very dear friend, as well as my family. Michelle’s parents are being so strong and they deserve the world - they ALWAYS put their family first and give complete and unconditional love. This truly brings tears to my eyes to type this for you to read, however Michelle has a great family to support her and lift her up as she goes through this journey. Michelle is strong and she is fighting this cancer – she will come through this!
I know this is a hard time with the pandemic, and if you can’t donate I understand, however please do share this post if you will! And if you have time to send a note a few kind words to Michelle it will go a long way to lift her spirits.
Thank you XOXO
A couple of weeks later another severe migraine and loss of vision returned and after getting Michelle to the ER in La Crosse she was transferred and admitted to the stroke unit at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. This was now her second stroke and after several CT scans and many tests they discovered small tumors on Michelle’s brain, as well as the possibility of a spot on her lungs. All of this was happening during the COVID pandemic so no visitors were allowed to support her through this and she endured this experience alone. Michelle was discharged from Mayo for further treatment in La Crosse and she returned home to rest. Thankfully, Michelle even started to feel a bit better and some of her vision returned.
Unfortunately, this ordeal was not over. Towards the end of March, for a third time, Michelle was rushed back to ER with the most severe migraine of them all and loss of vision from what would be her third stroke. And with this hospital stay, on March 28th, we received the heartbreaking news that no one expected to hear: Michelle was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney cancer that has spread to her lungs and to her brain.
Michelle underwent her first radiation treatment on her brain days later in hospital and has since finished her radiation treatment. She will now be undergoing an aggressive chemotherapy treatment with extremely high hopes to put this cancer into remission.
Hospital stays are not inexpensive and Michelle has endured many days and many nights alone in both Gundersen Lutheran in La Crosse, as well as the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. Anyone who knows her will tell you Michelle is incredibly close with her parents, Gary and Connie Buros, and she has moved home to stay with them through her treatment.
Michelle’s parents are the most genuine, altruistic, caring people you could hope for in parents. This is why I am starting this GoFundMe page to raise money to help pay for some of Michelle’s medical bills, as well as to also help her parents with the ongoing expenses for Michelle’s care and wellbeing to alleviate as much stress as possible for Michelle and her parents. There are many moving parts to the aggressive treatment she is undergoing to put this cancer into remission and Michelle is fighting this with all the strength she has.
If you able to help a bit please do consider donating - even $5.00 will help to go towards relieving Michelle and her family of the financial stress that has come with this devastating diagnosis.
Michelle is a loving mother to Zach, Tristan and Rhiannon. She is a devoted daughter to Gary and Connie and she is a caring sister to Lisa – and she is my very dear friend, as well as my family. Michelle’s parents are being so strong and they deserve the world - they ALWAYS put their family first and give complete and unconditional love. This truly brings tears to my eyes to type this for you to read, however Michelle has a great family to support her and lift her up as she goes through this journey. Michelle is strong and she is fighting this cancer – she will come through this!
I know this is a hard time with the pandemic, and if you can’t donate I understand, however please do share this post if you will! And if you have time to send a note a few kind words to Michelle it will go a long way to lift her spirits.
Thank you XOXO
Organiser
Jenna Berger
Organiser
De Soto, WI
