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Support Wendi Stahl's Fight Against Cancer

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Wendi Stahl (Busch) grew up in the Poland and Herkimer, New York area and has lived there most of her life. She married her high school sweetheart, Willard Stahl, and they had two children, Jonathan and Alexandra. Wendi worked as an Licensed Practical Nurse in the area until both kids were out of high school. Then Wendi and Willard moved around the country to where ever Willard had been contracted as a Traveling Registered Nurse. After a few years, they decided to settled in Corpus Christy, Texas where they both found great jobs that they enjoyed. Then without warning, Willard had heart failure and passed away very suddenly in 2016.

Wendi was devastated and decided to move back to the Herkimer, New York area to be closer to family. Now, four short years later, Wendi has been facing off with stage 3 squamous cell cancer.  

Her first cancer battle began in December 2018, when it was located in her mouth and neck. Her first surgery was more extensive than originally planned. She lost half of her tongue and a majority of her lymph nodes on the left side of her neck. After surgery, she underwent 7 weeks of radiation treatment. Resilient as ever, she was quickly talking with the help of speech therapy and back to work.

About 8 months later she had pain in her mouth and was quickly back to the doctor. A PET scan diagnosis revealed her cancer had returned, this time in the floor of her mouth.

This March, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Wendi had her second and most intensive surgery at Albany Medical Center. A grueling 14 hour surgery to removed the stage 3 squamous cell cancer from the floor of her mouth.

This required multiple surgeons, a temporary tracheostomy, and a PEG tube was placed in her stomach for nutrition, which she is still living with today. The ENT surgeon removed the cancer in the floor of her mouth, which was then followed by an extremely intensive reconstructive surgery to repair her mouth chin and neck, using a skin graft off her right thigh. The removal of the cancer and the intensive reconstruction surgery required Wendi to spend 8 days in the ICU and a total of 2 weeks in the hospital.  

Now, Wendi is currently in recovery at home, she has already undergone a third surgery and will need additional surgeries and speech therapy.  She is still living with a feeding tube, does not have the ability to swallow and does not have full feeling in her tongue.

Wendi has just secured a spot a the New York Proton Center in Harlem, New York City (https://www.nyproton.com/) via her oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. In the next 2-3 weeks, she will begin rigorous nano radiation and chemotherapy treatments. This course of treatment is conducted 5 days a week over a 7 week period. 

We have just found out that the treatment is out of her insurance network. The out of pocket cost is estimated to be at least $10,000.00. Our family is working hard to push the insurance company to accept the treatment plan and cover the costs. Unfortunately, Wendi needs the treatment and needs to stick to her doctors treatment plan timeline. If the insurance does not approve the plan she will need to pay for treatment out of pocket. A huge financial blow.

As if having cancer wasn't enough, COVID-19 has not only delayed surgeries, doctors visits, chemotherapy and nano radiation, but it has also closed The Hope House, located next door to the New York Proton Center. The Hope House (https://hopecenterharlem.org/) provides lodging for those who are in treatment at the New York Proton Center for no additional cost. Without this option being available, our family is scrambling to accumulate funds for lodging during treatment. We are still working to see if we can secure housing for Wendi's treatment through the hospital but it is uncertain at this point and things are moving very quickly. 

With her new treatment plan quickly approaching, Wendi is attending some final doctors appointments with her ENT and Oncologist, where they will review her latest PET scan.

Please help us ease Wendi's  financial burden so she can focus on her treatment plan and fighting this cancer! Here is how your donations can help.

Our chief priorities are:

1.       To cover the cost of the nano radiation and chemotherapy treatment, and the travel and lodging expenses for the 7-week treatment period. $15,000-$20,000 if not covered by insurance and lodging through the hospital is not secured.

2.       To pay off Wendi's first round of medical bills from her 2018 -2019 surgery and radiation. About $10,000.00

3.       To pay the incoming medical bills from 2020 surgeries, treatments, speech therapy, medical supplies, and other unexpected medical expenses. 

4.       Keep up with Wendi's basic needs. Wendi has been unable to work for 5 months and there is no guarantee she will be able to return to work in the near future.

To quote Jeff Goldblum in one of Wendi’s favorite movies, Jurassic Park, “Life finds a way.”

This is a long road to be sure.  Nonetheless Wendi, a widow of 4 years, charges forward, to meet the challenge. With family at her side, she is ready to do battle. Please support Wendi by easing her financial burden of medical expenses and the other associated costs in her fight against cancer. Our family thanks you immensely for any donation you can contribute.
 
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This Go Fund Me has been put together by Danielle Knapp, Wendi's niece and God Daughter, with the help and input from Wendi's family.
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Donations 

  • Anonymous
    • $50
    • 4 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • $100
    • 4 yrs
  • Melanie Jean
    • $30
    • 4 yrs
  • Beverly Ewart
    • $50
    • 4 yrs
  • Kathleen Granato
    • $50
    • 5 yrs
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Organizer and beneficiary

Danielle Knapp
Organizer
Frankfort, NY
Alexandra Stahl
Beneficiary

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