Support Vicky: A Dedicated Teacher's Battle Against Cancer

Hello, my name is Wyatt Baldree. I’m creating this fundraiser on behalf of my mother, Vicky Dyson. In short, my mother was recently diagnosed with a rare, aggressive form of colon cancer while having her appendix removed and now needs help paying for medical costs.

First, a little about my mother. She was a single mother who raised my brother and me. Despite that, my mother chose to serve in the Volusia County School System teaching mentally and physically disabled children for over 20 years. She loved her job and loved being able to help children. Recently, at the age of 60, she was forced to retire after arthritis necessitated hip and knee replacements that prevented her from being able to continue working in the classroom.

My mother is currently in the process of receiving her state disability benefits, but the process has been slow. She has already been approved, but has been waiting for over a year for the process to finish. Due to her age, she is not eligible for Medicare and is not eligible for any state medical emergency assistance. Waiting two years for Medicare eligibility is not an option. She has limited income and no insurance. We never imagined this process would take this long or leave her without support.

Recently, my mother went to the emergency department, was diagnosed with appendicitis, and had her appendix surgically removed. The biopsy of her appendix showed that the cause of the appendicitis was a tumor and that she has a rare, aggressive form of colon cancer called Goblet Cell Adenocarcinoma. Only one in two million cases of colon cancer per year are Goblet Cell Adenocarcinoma. Based on the initial diagnosis, surgery to remove 12 inches of her colon and her lymph nodes is necessary. Additional testing is being done in the coming weeks to determine the extent of the spread of the cancer and to determine what other surgery and treatment will be necessary.

My mother dedicated decades of her life to helping those in need and now I hope the community can help her in her own time of need. Any amount you contribute will go directly towards medical costs in the coming months. Every donation helps, and we would appreciate it if you could also share this fundraiser on social media.

Thank you.

All funds raised will go directly toward: