Support Lydia Hodgson’s Fight Against Cancer

Hi! Thanks for coming to Lydia’s page! The Hodgson’s soooo appreciate all the support and love that have already been shared. It seriously has been carrying them through! We are posting updates as they come so check back under updates. Also if you donate you’ll receive email alerts to see how Lydia is doing.

My cousin’s beautiful 11-year-old daughter, Lydia, was just diagnosed with Sarcoma cancer a week ago. After an orthodontic check-up, they noticed an unusual mass in the back of her mouth and went to see a primary care doctor. They were sent to the ER and finally found them selves in the Primary Children’s Oncology. Unfortunately, because of its location, the tumor they found is inoperable and is impacting Lydia’s airways, stretching from her upper palate to the left nasal cavity and around the ear canal. Aggressive treatment is required.

My cousin, Jori (Lydia’s mom), sent out an update to a friend with this info after the first round of chemotherapy and radiation, “The last couple of days have been a train wreck. We’re spending four nights up here at Primary. Lyddie had 5 surgeries on Friday morning. And she started chemo yesterday. She’s sick as a dog, in pain, and totally confused and scared. Words can’t describe what this is like. I feel so broken and incapable of helping her, I wish I could just smuggle her away from here and run away to Japan where she’s always wanted to go and just make it go away! I have been bad about responding, but just know I always appreciate the messages so keep them coming! Things you want to share or whatever. I always read them! I just can't always keep up with all the texts I'm receiving and questions on updates for Lydia. I almost need to find a point person so all the family can know anything new. Right now I’m just so numb that I don’t care if we loose our house or have to live in a trailer. I am so focused on being here for Lyddie and trying to stay strong for her!!”

I'm starting this fundraiser on behalf of my cousin and her family in hopes that they can feel a bit of relief. They have struggled with so much in the past few years with Jori’s brother passing away in a car accident and her dad’s battle with melanoma. Jori hasn't been working since May when her own health issues set in suddenly. She is still working with doctors to determine what is causing her blackouts, fainting episodes, and tremors/shaking while walking. It’s so much for one family. I know that financial help for medical expenses will enable Jori and Austin to best support their daughter. I hate the thought of what Lydia will have to go through and the weight of it all on their family.

Please donate if you are able.

If you can help their sweet family get through, please do!!!

Donations will help with the cost of

-Chemotherapy (which can be expensive even with insurance)!

-Future surgeries Lydia will under go. The chemotherapy and radiation, while critical to treating the tumor, will create their own kind of havoc. Radiation will stop the growth in Lydia’s face and she’ll have to undergo many reconstructive surgeries.

UPDATE

Hello friends and family of Lydia!! I know a lot of you are seeking updates on Lydia’s current situation. I’ll post updates as they come. A weekly update is sometimes too overwhelming for the Hodgson’s but if you’ve donated, you will get an email every update. PLEASE keep sharing the link for her gofundme -

“https://gofund.me/0af5d431”

(Apparently it takes seven shares for Facebook/Instagram to circulate things to all your contacts. One of my friends fundraises for Lou Gherig’s disease for her job and she said that it may seem like you’re annoying people but most of the time they want to donate but just need reminders - like little kids)!

Update of 9/18/2024

Lydia has lost 10 pounds in a week and she was already underweight. Her doctors strongly encouraged her to get an NG tube (to get her the nutrition she needs). She was very reluctant and nervous. Jori text me saying that “she was so scared to get it so two of her doctors had NG tubes inserted on themselves for the first time ever. And a bunch of people on the floor did it too because they thought it was funny the doctors were willing to!”

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Some good news is that the visible part of the tumor in the back of her throat has significantly reduced in size!!! It is no longer shoving the dangly thing to the side and it’s much easier for her to breathe! Thank goodness! They are keeping tabs on an open sore there to keep it from getting infected.

Lydia had two MRIs yesterday to check the rest of the tumor to see its behavior.. hopefully it is also shrinking.

Also, her round of chemo this week is lighter - the first week was all three chemo therapy medications, but this week and next week it’s only one so Lydia is doing not as sick. Jori said that she was much more herself this morning. She was sitting up, able and happy to chat. They got to come home yesterday and she has been thrilled with the packages sent to them from her Amazon wish list. Thank you everyone for donating and thinking of her!! They are overwhelmed with the kindness and thoughtfulness from all.

Unfortunately, the NG tube did not stay in place with how nauseous Lydia has been. The next step is getting a G Tube placed (gastrostomy tube is a soft, plastic tube that is surgically placed into a patient's stomach to provide long-term nutritional support and deliver medicine) so that Lydia can have the best chance at fighting!

And speaking of fighting, Jori wrote yesterday that Lydia “started loosing her hair in giant clumps yesterday night at the hospital. By late afternoon today, she had giant bald spots causing a lot of irritation and itchiness. So she decided she wanted to shave it off when we got discharged. I think it gave her a sense of control with the situation she is facing. Lyddie CHOSE to shave her head, cancer didn’t force her to.

She’s my fighter.”

Lydia…you are beautiful, amazing and you’re being so strong. We are behind you all the way!!