Teddi's Story
(as told to family friend, Desirae)

Teddi is a typical thirteen year old girl. She loves to eat most foods especially ice cream, Boba tea and Chinese food. She likes playing sports such as flag football, dancing, singing and watching scary movies. She has the best dimples and a great smile, but constantly says that she is having a bad hair day.  She has a little brother, Micah, who she simultaneously loves and finds irritating on a daily basis.

Teddi was recently diagnosed with a very rare type of  cancerous tumor called Ganglioneuroblastoma. After emergency surgery, her biopsy report  came back showing that she is in remission and she will only require annual testing to check for any cancerous regrowth.  We're all hopeful for many bright tomorrows.

A few days after Teddi's surgery, her teammates from the local Flag Football team came to visit her on the Pediatric Oncology floor. Teddi's Mom, Maya, threw a "Post-surgery STRONG" party for Teddi, put up banners and streamers and colorful balloons and ordered pizza for the team. And through it all, Maya shared her warm and engaging spirit and positive attitude with the friends and family that stopped by to visit Teddi. She was alone taking care of Teddi -- Grandma was watching Micah -- and she hadn't even thought to ask anyone to bring anything for herself or her daughter.  We want to show our support for Teddi and her family!

Please consider a small donation to Teddi's family over this holiday season.  Your donation would help to support the cost of commuting to the hospital and feeding the family as well as more than a month of lost work wages (for rent, bills, groceries, Christmas gifts, etc). Any donation will be greatly appreciated (and tax deductible). Thank you so much! Share this page: gofundme.com/teddibearcuddles



Please read on to learn more about Teddi's Journey:

Teddi has had many medical issues over the years which include but are not limited to a broken foot, hormone blockers and two corrective bone surgeries on both her legs. Luckily nothing has been life threatening until now. Over the years, Teddi has been to: endocrinologists, oncologists, neurologists, orthopedic surgeons, geneticists, rheumatologists and pediatric specialists. She has had MRIs, MIBG scans, ultrasounds, x-rays, CT scans and surgeries and has received multiple pharmaceutical treatments, as well as physical therapy.  Over the past two months she had been admitted to the ER a couple of times for severe pain in her back. By chance while getting an MRI for a separate medical issue, a tumor was  discovered -- it had grown so large that it had completely replaced her adrenal gland and was resting on her kidney.  After further testing it was determined that immediate surgery was needed to remove it. Due to it's size (comparable to a large apple) and the the potential for internal damage, the cancerous tumor was removed by a 9 inch incision in her abdomen.

The journey to get here has been a long, emotional and painful process. Teddi's Mom works as a pre-school teacher on a part-time salary so that she can take her kids to and  from school every day. She is an hourly employee and every time that Teddi has been sick or needed to go to the doctor, those hours were cut from her paycheck. She doesn't have healthcare to cover her children's medical needs, so Teddi receives MediCal from the State of California. Most of her medical bills are covered, but additional costs to the family are not. 

Mom Maya has missed weeks of work so that she can go with Teddi to the hospital for each and every appointment. Because the family lives in Hayward/Union City, off Mission Blvd, they have to make a long commute each way for every appointment that Teddi needs at the hospital in downtown Oakland. These appointments are often during mealtimes and Maya has to buy Teddi and Micah (seriously overpriced) food at the hospital if they want a hot meal.  For Teddi's surgery a month ago, Maya had to take off of work for a month for the hospital stay and recovery time. These are just a few of the costs for the family:  medical costs, rent, utility bills, food, gas, car, etc.

These are the people who need your help. Just regular people like you and me, trying to get by in the Bay Area with the crazy cost of living and commutes that are hours long. 

Please consider a small donation to help Teddi and her family!
1) GIVE whatever you can. No donation is too small (tax-deductible)
2) SHARE on social media (#TeddiBearCuddles)
3) EMAIL this page - gofundme.com/teddibearcuddles - to your family + friends. 

Thank you so much!

Maya, Teddi, Micah