Gretchen Kost
Donation protected
The fund for Gretchen is set up by her husband Rob's cousin Ann.
We are starting this campaign to help out with medical expenses.
A month before Gretchen turned 30 in 2004, she was diagnosed with a brain stem glioma...a rare tumor that occurs most often in adolescents. A vast majority of people diagnosed die within a year of diagnosis. Gretchen thought all was well until October 2016. At 12 years out, she started having trouble with vision and balance. Gretchen was put on high dose steriods in October and hasn't been able to drive since then. In December she had consult with Mayo and is currently diagnosed with late effects from radiation treatment. The steroids are causing many negative effects on her body including steroid-induced diabetes. She is getting very weak and is unable to stand. Gretchen was hospitalized in Fargo on Sunday. Her speech is weak and slurred. Gretchen has blurred vision and her fine motor is also affected. She is currently getting PT/OT and has limited mobility in her legs. Her treatment plan is 2 more treatments of Avastin, 3 weeks apart. The Avastin chemo treatment is to help with the radiation damage.
If this doesn't work the next option may be hyperbaric oxygen therapy at Mayo for 30-35 days. She is currently hospitalized with plans to go to transitional care after hospitalization. It is very hard for the doctors to determine what is tumor-related issues or steroid myopathy.
Rob has taken off a lot of time from work to care for Gretchen and their 2 children. All donations will be geared toward helping the family with medical expenses. They have received a lot of support from friends, neighbors and family to help with the kids. The sooner the funds can be raised the better. Our family would like to support Gretchen and her family as much as we possibly can.
Thank you in advance for all your thoughts, prayers and donations!
We are starting this campaign to help out with medical expenses.
A month before Gretchen turned 30 in 2004, she was diagnosed with a brain stem glioma...a rare tumor that occurs most often in adolescents. A vast majority of people diagnosed die within a year of diagnosis. Gretchen thought all was well until October 2016. At 12 years out, she started having trouble with vision and balance. Gretchen was put on high dose steriods in October and hasn't been able to drive since then. In December she had consult with Mayo and is currently diagnosed with late effects from radiation treatment. The steroids are causing many negative effects on her body including steroid-induced diabetes. She is getting very weak and is unable to stand. Gretchen was hospitalized in Fargo on Sunday. Her speech is weak and slurred. Gretchen has blurred vision and her fine motor is also affected. She is currently getting PT/OT and has limited mobility in her legs. Her treatment plan is 2 more treatments of Avastin, 3 weeks apart. The Avastin chemo treatment is to help with the radiation damage.
If this doesn't work the next option may be hyperbaric oxygen therapy at Mayo for 30-35 days. She is currently hospitalized with plans to go to transitional care after hospitalization. It is very hard for the doctors to determine what is tumor-related issues or steroid myopathy.
Rob has taken off a lot of time from work to care for Gretchen and their 2 children. All donations will be geared toward helping the family with medical expenses. They have received a lot of support from friends, neighbors and family to help with the kids. The sooner the funds can be raised the better. Our family would like to support Gretchen and her family as much as we possibly can.
Thank you in advance for all your thoughts, prayers and donations!
Organizer and beneficiary
Ann Cassetta
Organizer
Moorhead, MN
Rob Kost
Beneficiary
