Oral Cancer Awareness

Head and neck cancer.

This go fund me is for Deborah Durant. Maiden name Deborah Nault. Debbie is a 56 year old woman who has been fighting Oral head and neck cancer for the last 4 years. She has gone through treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and ketruda. On August 30th we received devastating news. PET scan results revealed spread of cancer to her lymph nodes in her neck and retropharyngeal space, which are hallmarks of being an aggressive cancer. Doctors shared that there wasn’t any further role for radiation and surgery was not being offered. Doctors explained that further chemotherapy was far more likely to cause impaired quality of life with very minimal chance of benefit. There were no treatment plans offered to her. October 21st Debbie passed away peaceful at home along side her immediate family.

Debbie was home under hospice care. They were maintaining her pain while myself (Alyssa) was her full time caregiver. Doctors did share that time was limited, likely on the order of weeks to short months of life left. Debbie had support from her husband Raymond and children Jon and Alyssa. She has two grandchildren who mean the world to her. Ella Grace and Sophia Rae. Ella Grace is 8 years old and has had a very close relationship with Debbie since the day she was born. She spent almost every weekend with her. Sophia Rae is 19 months old and lived with Debbie. She always wants to go in Grammys room and reorganize. Debbie is very loved and has always wanted the best for everyone around her. She also has a third grandchild on the way. Her children and grandchildren held the biggest impact on her life. Debbie has done everything and more to fight this cancer. She has fought and continued to fight. Not knowing when her time would come. We truly don’t know how strong we are until being strong is the only choice we have.

Donations will be used for funeral expenses and for her kids and grandchildren to navigate life without her now that she’s gone. As she was a vital asset in her children’s and grandchildren’s life’s financially and emotionally. My mother deserved more than what this life had to offer her. April is oral cancer awareness month. Here I would like to spread the word about oral, head & neck cancer awareness month. Each April, most of the nation’s top dental associations join together with the Oral Cancer Foundation to raise awareness for oral and oropharyngeal cancers. Many dental professionals around the country open their offices to do free screenings to the public during this month each year as well. This is an important reminder to the public that when these cancers are detected and treated early, mortality and treatment related health problems are reduced. For more information visit the Oral Cancer Foundation website at www.oralcancer.org.

Services will be held Saturday October 28th at Fournier & Fournier

99 Cumberland St, Woonsocket, RI 02895

from 3pm-5pm.

Please help if you can. Any donation is helpful. If you are unable to donate at this time please share this go fund me to spread awareness.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to read about my mom and how much she has fought. Thank you for any donations and thank you for sharing this to spread awareness.

With all my love

Alyssa Rae Nault (Debbie’s best friend)