The Sturm Family Medical Fund
Donation protected
This adorable little lady, Amelia Sturm just turned 5 on Saturday, February 6. This past Friday her parents noticed a lump in her side, and they called the pediatrician who said to go straight to Winchester Hospital for testing. Winchester sent them directly to Inova Fairfax Children's Hospital.
There Amelia was diagnosed with a Wilms cancerous tumor. It is a rare cancer of the Kidneys that is most commonly found in 3 and 4 year old children and is extremely rare from the age of 5 onward. It is also a type of cancer that is most commonly not detected until it has grown to at least a lb in size, as there are very rarely physical symptoms exhibited.
Amelia was immediately admitted for continual monitoring due to her high blood pressure and danger of the tumor rupturing and she was scheduled for surgery. Due to the holiday weekend, the surgery that was to remove Amelia's entire right kidney and any surrounding affected tissue and lymph nodes could not be performed until yesterday, Monday 2/15/16.
Amelia was to be in surgery for approximately 4 hours. After 6 hours in surgery, doctors had more difficult news for her family. Her tumor had actually ruptured and had spread throughout her abdomen. Additionally, it was so large that her Surgeons accidentally sliced into her left kidney during extraction. Once they stabilized her, she was transported to ICU where she remains sedated and intubated until her tiny body can take back over and fight this terrible beast on it's own again.
Amelia is again today scheduled for a surgery that will reattach her damaged good kidney. Amelia was projected to be in the hospital for a week to recover. She will have her first round of chemotherapy before she leaves the hospital. The family was already prepared for a number of return trips for treatments until the doctors could be certain the cancer was free from her system.
The prognosis for survival of this type of cancer is high. However, with the additional complications, PRAYER WARRIORS, this family needs our help! Please pray and pray hard. We need this baby to recover quickly. We need her kidney to repair itself, we need strength for her parents and loved ones who are staying close at hand to help, we need the cells left in her body from the ruptured tumor to run in fear of the cancer treatment that is to come and we need Amelia to get home to her own comfy bed where she can hug and kiss her mommy and daddy and baby brother any time she wants!
Amelia's Mother is a teacher at Mountain Ridge Intermediate school and her father is a local Remax realtor. Her mother was scheduled to return to her job at the end of this month, having used all of her paid leave with maternity leave following the birth of the Sturm's second child last July.
Ignoring the fact that this hospital may be out of network for the family's insurance, they will have mounting bills from travel, food and hotel stays. In addition to those prayers, please donate funds, if you are able. If you are not comfortable with making your donation to this site, there has also been an account set up specifically for Amelia Sturm at MVB Bank of Inwood. Call/drive thru or send a check made out to the Amelia Sturm medical fund and make your donation that way. Mountain Ridge Intermediate school will also accept funds and deposit them for you. Family and friends are doing what we can, but any help that you can give would be greatly appreciated by all who love this amazing little girl. Thank you.
There Amelia was diagnosed with a Wilms cancerous tumor. It is a rare cancer of the Kidneys that is most commonly found in 3 and 4 year old children and is extremely rare from the age of 5 onward. It is also a type of cancer that is most commonly not detected until it has grown to at least a lb in size, as there are very rarely physical symptoms exhibited.
Amelia was immediately admitted for continual monitoring due to her high blood pressure and danger of the tumor rupturing and she was scheduled for surgery. Due to the holiday weekend, the surgery that was to remove Amelia's entire right kidney and any surrounding affected tissue and lymph nodes could not be performed until yesterday, Monday 2/15/16.
Amelia was to be in surgery for approximately 4 hours. After 6 hours in surgery, doctors had more difficult news for her family. Her tumor had actually ruptured and had spread throughout her abdomen. Additionally, it was so large that her Surgeons accidentally sliced into her left kidney during extraction. Once they stabilized her, she was transported to ICU where she remains sedated and intubated until her tiny body can take back over and fight this terrible beast on it's own again.
Amelia is again today scheduled for a surgery that will reattach her damaged good kidney. Amelia was projected to be in the hospital for a week to recover. She will have her first round of chemotherapy before she leaves the hospital. The family was already prepared for a number of return trips for treatments until the doctors could be certain the cancer was free from her system.
The prognosis for survival of this type of cancer is high. However, with the additional complications, PRAYER WARRIORS, this family needs our help! Please pray and pray hard. We need this baby to recover quickly. We need her kidney to repair itself, we need strength for her parents and loved ones who are staying close at hand to help, we need the cells left in her body from the ruptured tumor to run in fear of the cancer treatment that is to come and we need Amelia to get home to her own comfy bed where she can hug and kiss her mommy and daddy and baby brother any time she wants!
Amelia's Mother is a teacher at Mountain Ridge Intermediate school and her father is a local Remax realtor. Her mother was scheduled to return to her job at the end of this month, having used all of her paid leave with maternity leave following the birth of the Sturm's second child last July.
Ignoring the fact that this hospital may be out of network for the family's insurance, they will have mounting bills from travel, food and hotel stays. In addition to those prayers, please donate funds, if you are able. If you are not comfortable with making your donation to this site, there has also been an account set up specifically for Amelia Sturm at MVB Bank of Inwood. Call/drive thru or send a check made out to the Amelia Sturm medical fund and make your donation that way. Mountain Ridge Intermediate school will also accept funds and deposit them for you. Family and friends are doing what we can, but any help that you can give would be greatly appreciated by all who love this amazing little girl. Thank you.
Organizer and beneficiary
Abby Bender
Organizer
Gerrardstown, WV
Rebecca Sturm
Beneficiary
