Tracie Clarke
Donation protected
If you know Tracie, you know she is beautiful, charismatic, passionate, loyal, intelligent, and fierce when necessary. She was the model of a healthy lifestyle-eating the best natural ingredients, never smoked, and rarely drank. Her love for a healthy lifestyle drove her to become a certified Yoga, Pilates, and Spin instructor. She has the biggest heart for animals and is an avid and recognized supporter of many rescue organizations. But despite living her spiritual, healthy, and caring life, she now finds herself in need of rescue.
Please help Tracie afford the living and travel expenses needed for lifesaving HAILMARY immunotherapy trial in Los Angeles, California.
Tracie received devastating news in November 2018; the doctors had concluded that the chemotherapy is no longer effective in staving off the disease and recommended stopping chemotherapy. Now Tracie is faced with the attempt of a hail Mary to save her life by participating in an experimental drug trial.
Tracie & Bryan are faced with months of living in Los Angeles (one of the most expensive areas of the country) near the hospital and frequent travel back to Chicago to participate in the trial. But they are blessed that Bryan’s employer has been supportive in his ability to work remotely.
A little background on Tracie’s journey-
Tracie met Bryan in May 2014 and began a whirlwind romance. That fall, Bryan was offered an advancement opportunity in China with his company. Bryan proposed to Tracie and they were looking forward to starting a new family with Bryan’s two young boys and be part of this new life adventure in Asia. They married in January 2015 and sold Bryan’s home. During medical examines prior to expatriation, Tracie was diagnosed with Stage 3b colon cancer in February, 2015, just one month after their wedding. Their world was turned upside and life plans quickly changed. Bryan postponed his job opportunity to help care for his wife during treatment.
Tracie quickly started radiation treatment followed by a successful colon resection and several chemotherapy infusions. She started planning her return to full time work; Tracie & Bryan finally started their new life together by buying a new home in Illinois. However, weeks after moving into the new home in January 2016 a routine scan revealed aggressive growth in her liver and lungs. The disease had metastasized and was now diagnoses as Stage 4 cancer.
Tracie continued to show tremendous strength and courage over the next couple years of hard treatment at Northwestern and University of Chicago: One liver resection, two lung resection surgeries, many days of radiation, sBRT cyber knife, and months and months of chemotherapy. Despite these efforts, more spots continued to appear and grow in her lungs and had now metastasized in multiple ribs and her spine. The bone mets are extremely painful and make travel, movement, and even sitting very difficult.
In anticipation of this news and the guidance of many experienced people, Tracie had spent much of 2018 visiting the best doctors, universities, and hospitals throughout the country in attempts to identify the best next steps. Finally, on November 19th, Tracie was accepted to a 1b/2 immunotherapy trial at USC Norris Hospital in Los Angeles. However, again this made a huge change in the direction of Tracie & Bryan’s life. To be included, Tracie had to start the trial the very next week with a lung biopsy and start the drug regimen in LA. During the trial, Tracie will need to be at USC in LA on a very regular basis. With the weather in Chicago along with cold and flu season they are required to temporarily relocate to Los Angeles during the trial.
Four years of battling cancer is a very expensive reality. Their health insurance has been a blessing, but insurance alone doesn’t cover the costs of a long battle with cancer. Every year Tracie meets max out of pocket expenses on a high deductible plan in the first couple weeks of the year. Insurance doesn’t cover the costs of off label drugs, medical marijuana to manage bone mets pain, or any of the travel expensive needed to proactively save your life.
During all of this, Tracie & Bryan have done everything they can to keep spirits high throughout treatment with lots of vacation travel including the boys as well as leasing her dream vehicle.
But what isn’t obvious is that these have all been paid through 401k savings which is quickly dwindling and family support. There are no regrets with the travel we did while Tracie was healthy. Travel now is often too painful with the bone mets in her spine.
Please help Tracie afford the living and travel expenses needed for lifesaving HAILMARY immunotherapy trial in Los Angeles, California.
Tracie received devastating news in November 2018; the doctors had concluded that the chemotherapy is no longer effective in staving off the disease and recommended stopping chemotherapy. Now Tracie is faced with the attempt of a hail Mary to save her life by participating in an experimental drug trial.
Tracie & Bryan are faced with months of living in Los Angeles (one of the most expensive areas of the country) near the hospital and frequent travel back to Chicago to participate in the trial. But they are blessed that Bryan’s employer has been supportive in his ability to work remotely.
A little background on Tracie’s journey-
Tracie met Bryan in May 2014 and began a whirlwind romance. That fall, Bryan was offered an advancement opportunity in China with his company. Bryan proposed to Tracie and they were looking forward to starting a new family with Bryan’s two young boys and be part of this new life adventure in Asia. They married in January 2015 and sold Bryan’s home. During medical examines prior to expatriation, Tracie was diagnosed with Stage 3b colon cancer in February, 2015, just one month after their wedding. Their world was turned upside and life plans quickly changed. Bryan postponed his job opportunity to help care for his wife during treatment.
Tracie quickly started radiation treatment followed by a successful colon resection and several chemotherapy infusions. She started planning her return to full time work; Tracie & Bryan finally started their new life together by buying a new home in Illinois. However, weeks after moving into the new home in January 2016 a routine scan revealed aggressive growth in her liver and lungs. The disease had metastasized and was now diagnoses as Stage 4 cancer.
Tracie continued to show tremendous strength and courage over the next couple years of hard treatment at Northwestern and University of Chicago: One liver resection, two lung resection surgeries, many days of radiation, sBRT cyber knife, and months and months of chemotherapy. Despite these efforts, more spots continued to appear and grow in her lungs and had now metastasized in multiple ribs and her spine. The bone mets are extremely painful and make travel, movement, and even sitting very difficult.
In anticipation of this news and the guidance of many experienced people, Tracie had spent much of 2018 visiting the best doctors, universities, and hospitals throughout the country in attempts to identify the best next steps. Finally, on November 19th, Tracie was accepted to a 1b/2 immunotherapy trial at USC Norris Hospital in Los Angeles. However, again this made a huge change in the direction of Tracie & Bryan’s life. To be included, Tracie had to start the trial the very next week with a lung biopsy and start the drug regimen in LA. During the trial, Tracie will need to be at USC in LA on a very regular basis. With the weather in Chicago along with cold and flu season they are required to temporarily relocate to Los Angeles during the trial.
Four years of battling cancer is a very expensive reality. Their health insurance has been a blessing, but insurance alone doesn’t cover the costs of a long battle with cancer. Every year Tracie meets max out of pocket expenses on a high deductible plan in the first couple weeks of the year. Insurance doesn’t cover the costs of off label drugs, medical marijuana to manage bone mets pain, or any of the travel expensive needed to proactively save your life.
During all of this, Tracie & Bryan have done everything they can to keep spirits high throughout treatment with lots of vacation travel including the boys as well as leasing her dream vehicle.
But what isn’t obvious is that these have all been paid through 401k savings which is quickly dwindling and family support. There are no regrets with the travel we did while Tracie was healthy. Travel now is often too painful with the bone mets in her spine.
Organizer and beneficiary
Cara Schuldt
Organizer
St. Charles, IL
Tracie Lynn
Beneficiary
