Hi everyone,

My name is Ariana, and I’m Stella’s aunt. I’m creating this fundraiser on behalf of my sister, Abigail, her husband Frankie, and their three incredible children because they would never ask for this kind of help themselves.

I’ve watched my sister and brother-in-law spend every waking moment fighting for Stella while trying to protect their other two children from the weight of this diagnosis. They’ve carried this burden with incredible strength and humility. As their family, we wanted to create a way for others to come alongside them during this journey.

Stella is 17 years old. She’s funny, compassionate, fiercely determined, and the kind of person who makes everyone around her feel welcome. She should be spending her senior year making memories with friends, planning for her future, and simply enjoying life. Instead, she’s fighting for it.

Earlier this year, Stella was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia, a rare and life-threatening bone marrow failure disorder. Since then, she’s endured countless blood and platelet transfusions, weeks in the hospital, powerful immunosuppressive treatments, painful procedures, infections, and more medications than anyone her age should ever have to take.

Despite every challenge, Stella has continued to meet each day with incredible courage.

After months of treatment, we recently received news that the immunosuppressive therapy has not provided the response we had hoped for. Her medical team has recommended moving forward with a bone marrow transplant—her best opportunity for a cure.

Stella is expected to spend more than 100 days in the hospital during her transplant journey, followed by many months of recovery. During that time, Abigail and Frankie will essentially be living in two places at once—at the hospital with Stella while also trying to keep life as normal as possible at home for Emma and lil Frankie.

As you can imagine, the financial burden has become overwhelming.

Funds raised will help with:

• Ongoing fertility preservation treatment before transplant, which insurance does not cover.

• A scalp cooling (chemo cap) system to help preserve Stella’s hair during her chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

• Monthly medical expenses, medications, and supplies that are not fully covered by insurance.

• Living expenses while maintaining two households during Stella’s lengthy hospitalization.

• Parking, meals, travel, and day-to-day expenses that come with living at the hospital and post-treatment at the hospital.

• Helping mom and dad continue providing stability for Emma and lil Frankie so they can remain involved in school, sports, and as much normal life as possible.

• Helping relieve the financial strain as Abigail continues working through her medical disability retirement and Frankie takes an extended unpaid leave of absence.

Anyone who knows this family knows they have never expected anyone else to carry their burdens. Asking for help is incredibly difficult for them, but this journey is bigger than any one family can shoulder alone.

Any amount helps lift a little of their burden. If you can't give, please share Stella's story and keep her in your prayers. They've carried this family every step of the way.

Thank you for standing with Stella.