On April 1, 2024, Amy had a routine follow-up scan for a minor ongoing health issue. Something she had done before and normally would have been no reason for concern. However, this one showed some questionable areas in Amy's left kidney, lymph node, and adrenal gland. A few days later, she received the call nobody wants to get. After a referral to MN Oncology, she was diagnosed with stage 4a bladder cancer. Cancer! A terrifying, heart-stopping yet all too familiar word for Amy. She had to endure a long and trying road when her mother’s cancer had returned, and in the end, it took her life. Also, since her own diagnosis, she has lost her father to bile duct cancer just under a year ago. This has been devastating to her and her brother Tommy! But now it is her turn to fight! Because this family does not deserve another loss.

Amy started immunotherapy treatment right away at her oncologist's recommendation. Although the prognosis was grim in the beginning, unexpectedly and amazingly, so far the results have been positive, with every two-month progress scan showing the masses are shrinking and the one in the adrenal gland is gone. Although it has been positive, progress is slow. She has been fortunate as far as the side effects not being too terrible, but she still has plenty of bad days. As long as it continues to improve things, she'll be receiving the immunotherapy treatments weekly till at least May! But it isn’t over in May. Then come the next steps: possible surgeries, new treatment plans, and more medical expenses. Even though Amy’s body is tolerating this treatment fairly well, it has taken a toll on her in the form of other health issues, leading her to need things like wound care, ongoing PT to improve her mobility, and a hospital stay after a pulmonary embolism, to name a few. Between the treatments, the follow-ups, labs, tests, therapies, PT, the scans, and the numerous medications required to fight this fight, it has enormously taken a financial toll on her, as anyone can imagine.

Luckily, Amy has a wonderful and understanding employer and has been able to continue working throughout all of this so far and has had the leave to cover the time off, but it is running out. So she pushes through the days that maybe physically aren’t too bad but may emotionally be too much. Even with her incredible care team of nurses and specialists doing all that is possible to provide support and delay the spread of her cancer, the road is trying and continuous. Amy is strong and stubborn, never wanting to ask or even accept help from anyone. She always believes there is “someone else who needs and deserves the help” more than she does. That’s just not true at the moment. Amy needs to stop being the helper and accept the help she deserves! As the medical expenses quickly pile up and will continue to, all of life’s responsibilities become more and more difficult for her to manage. Now is the time we can donate to Amy so she can continue to fight her cancer and focus on her health and overall well-being. She has tried to do it without help for the last 20 months. We cannot let her fight alone! Please donate what you can to ensure that Amy’s journey ends with a better outcome than her parents! Again, this family doesn’t deserve another loss!