Hello friends and family. A few years ago we had a GoFundMe for April due to a diagnosis of Ocular Melanoma. She was humbled with all the help she received. Her sister and I feel we need to reach out again as the cancer has reared it's ugly head again. She is currently in treatment for metastatic uveal melanoma (UM) and needs help with mounting medical costs.
April was diagnosed in 2020 and in 2022 had her left eye removed after a number of complications from radiation treatment. After a few years cancer-free, this past fall of 2025, the UM came back and took up residence in her liver. Evicting the tenant is a pricey affair.
Back in 2024, we also found it had spread to her kidney, which was thankfully successfully removed. She is still paying off nearly $10,000 from that surgery, so we're back here asking for your help, either by donating, or even simply sharing this page if you can’t. Even small amounts make a huge difference! Sharing also makes a huge difference!
Dr. Rapisuwon, April's oncologist at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in DC, enrolled her in a clinical trial called RP-202, and she was thankfully randomized into the arm with the experimental drug, called RP2. RP2 is a lab-created, non-infecting version of the herpes simplex I virus that’s injected directly into the tumor, followed by an infusion of an immunotherapy drug, nivolumab. The idea is that April's immune system will recognize and attack the virus inside the tumor, breaking it apart and destroying it in the process. This is because standard immunotherapy on its own is not typically effective for this type of cancer, due to the immune system not recognizing the "cold" tumors that have metastasized to the liver.
She is optimistic, but also scared, exhausted, and trying her best to stay positive. The treatment itself looks promising so far, and she's in good hands. Dr. Rapisuwon has backup plans, and she has a great research nurse coordinator who patiently tolerates all of her endless emails about studies, trials, diet questions, and whatever else she decide to panic about on any given day.
As April says: "I’m also approaching this very differently this time. No more pretending I’m not going through it. I’m researching, connecting with other people who have this rare diagnosis, and actually engaging with what’s happening. I’m alive longer than I probably would have been without the adjunctive immunotherapy in 2020, and I’d like to keep it that way!"
But it’s expensive. The study sponsor covers the medication and hospital visits related to the study, but not the travel expenses, which she will be doing more of when she starts working with the Mayo Clinic in the near future, both for potentially more options and to be closer to home. Between the remaining kidney surgery debt and the upcoming costs of additional consultations and testing at the Mayo, which they warned insurance doesn't typically cover, the medical bills are already overwhelming, and they’ll continue to accumulate as treatment continues. So far, since beginning treatment, April has had 4 of 8 injections, and 3 of many more nivolumab infusions.
As she says, "apparently it costs a lot to keep me alive now, and I really want to stay alive! I like it here!" We like her here, too!
She's working on some ways to earn more supplemental income while undergoing treatment and working on staying healthy, but in the meantime, anything you can help out with is sincerely appreciated. Sharing, too, is so incredibly helpful, and we would be very grateful if you could share this with your friends and family (or any rich and sympathetic celebrities you might happen to know). Our goal is to raise $50,000 to cover current and ongoing costs associated with her treatment and travel for it, both now and in the future in the event that a new course of action is required.
On top of the treatments themselves, April is struggling being so far from so many of her loved ones and support network while going through this. She needs all the support and positivity she can get. They don’t tell you how lonely this can be sometimes, especially when you live so far from almost all of your family and friends. Please, feel free to reach out to April to let her know you're thinking of her and/or praying for her. She accepts messages, letters, texts, calls, visits, and owls (or carrier pigeons, whichever you have available)!
Thank you to everyone who previously and so generously donated a few years back when she needed help covering the cost of her UM-related enucleation surgery and her many other related medical expenses. It helped so much. We will keep you all updated on her progress as she continues treatments!