Please Help Sovonne On Her Road To Recovery
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We are reaching out to you on behalf of our friend, Sovonne Ukam.
Sovonne has been diagnosed with an unforeseeable and unfortunately very aggressive oral cancer called Squamous Cell Carcinoma. It was discovered after Sovonne complained of tooth and gum pain. Over the past 4 months Sovonne has been challenged in trying to recover from this cancer. The cancer manifested as a tumor, located in Sovonne’s bottom right jaw.
The diagnosis was devastating! And even more so the procedure to remove the cancer!
Sovonne was informed that her only option to treat her cancer required a 10 hour surgery in which her bottom right jaw bone would be extracted to completely remove the tumor, and then a new jawbone reconstructed using a portion of her fibula bone, veins and tissue from her left leg.
This meant that, Sovonne required 2 surgeries! The first one lasted 13 hours and the second lasted 8 hours. During the first surgery, the doctor’s realized that the tumor was much larger than anticipated and had penetrated into her jawbone. In addition, due to major swelling within the mouth, Sovonne was required to have a tracheotomy and a nasogastric tube.
We are grateful that Sovonne is now in the treatment and rehabilitation stage of her illness. Her doctors are giving her a 50/50 chance that the cancer return and have recommended an aggressive radiation and chemo treatment plan. Sovonne begins treatment the end of July and will be discharged from her rehab facility soon. This is where she needs your help. We are asking you to support Sovonne in raising $10,0000.00 to ensure she has everything she needs financially for 3 months to continue her efforts for recovery and help support living finances. Most funds will be used to:
· Assist with office co-pays not covered by insurance
· Maintain nutrition (protein and vital nutrient supplements) not covered by insurance
· Mobility within the home (add 2 rails to staircase and 1 in her bathtub)
· Physical therapy as needed when she is ready
· Wound care for her face and leg (outpatient services start at $25/hour, and dressings must be changed daily)
· Tracheotomy care (sterile water and hydrogen peroxide for daily tracheotomy cleanings)
· Toilet seat riser (2)
· Misc. items such as: drainage gauze sponges, bandages, abdominal pads, paper tape and any other healthcare needs that arise.
· Holistic treatments (acupuncture, meditation, and massages)
· Trimus TheraBite Jaw Motion Rehabilitation System (to increase jaw mobility)
· Oral Care Kits ( Used for daily oral hygiene three to four timer per day)
As a community of family, friends and acquaintances, we have a great opportunity to help provide Sovonne with a dedicated support base that will foster healing and give her body what it needs to evict cancer from her life! Our efforts are to cure, not mask. So together, let’s pick up the torch and help Sovonne in her biggest time of need!
We hope that you will join us in this fight and share Sovonne’s story.
If you have any questions, please reach out to one of the designated point people
Katrina Highsmith - [email redacted]
Todd Heustess - [email redacted]
Mick Rogers - [email redacted]
About Sovonne
Affectionately called "Miss U" by her students, Sovonne is a dedicated Building Base Substitute Teacher working in schools located in an Urban City deemed as the “most dangerous city in the nation”. This past school year Sovonne has used her talents to teach Technology, focusing specifically on teaching computer software language using a visual program called “Blockly” with her Middle School students and color coding with her Elementary Students using Ozobots”.
In an effort to enhance and develop a technology program Sovonne personally purchased two video Drones and STEM Kits for her classes, fostered a partnership with a local non-profit technology training program and sought to implement a film production lab in the school.
No matter what Sovonne does, you can bet that she will put all her heart into it! She was recognized in March as “Staff of the Month” by her peers, and her hospital room was flooded with cards from her students thanking her for helping them learn computers and wishing her a speedy recovery!
Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read about Sovonne’s fight. Everyone can help in their own way, even if you cannot donate you can help us spread oral cancer awareness and get additional eyes on our campaign for Sovonne by sharing it with friends, family and coworkers. Every contribution in any form goes a long way to help. #Squamouscellawareness #earlydetection #oralcancerdentalchecks #crushsquamous
Sovonne has been diagnosed with an unforeseeable and unfortunately very aggressive oral cancer called Squamous Cell Carcinoma. It was discovered after Sovonne complained of tooth and gum pain. Over the past 4 months Sovonne has been challenged in trying to recover from this cancer. The cancer manifested as a tumor, located in Sovonne’s bottom right jaw.
The diagnosis was devastating! And even more so the procedure to remove the cancer!
Sovonne was informed that her only option to treat her cancer required a 10 hour surgery in which her bottom right jaw bone would be extracted to completely remove the tumor, and then a new jawbone reconstructed using a portion of her fibula bone, veins and tissue from her left leg.
This meant that, Sovonne required 2 surgeries! The first one lasted 13 hours and the second lasted 8 hours. During the first surgery, the doctor’s realized that the tumor was much larger than anticipated and had penetrated into her jawbone. In addition, due to major swelling within the mouth, Sovonne was required to have a tracheotomy and a nasogastric tube.
We are grateful that Sovonne is now in the treatment and rehabilitation stage of her illness. Her doctors are giving her a 50/50 chance that the cancer return and have recommended an aggressive radiation and chemo treatment plan. Sovonne begins treatment the end of July and will be discharged from her rehab facility soon. This is where she needs your help. We are asking you to support Sovonne in raising $10,0000.00 to ensure she has everything she needs financially for 3 months to continue her efforts for recovery and help support living finances. Most funds will be used to:
· Assist with office co-pays not covered by insurance
· Maintain nutrition (protein and vital nutrient supplements) not covered by insurance
· Mobility within the home (add 2 rails to staircase and 1 in her bathtub)
· Physical therapy as needed when she is ready
· Wound care for her face and leg (outpatient services start at $25/hour, and dressings must be changed daily)
· Tracheotomy care (sterile water and hydrogen peroxide for daily tracheotomy cleanings)
· Toilet seat riser (2)
· Misc. items such as: drainage gauze sponges, bandages, abdominal pads, paper tape and any other healthcare needs that arise.
· Holistic treatments (acupuncture, meditation, and massages)
· Trimus TheraBite Jaw Motion Rehabilitation System (to increase jaw mobility)
· Oral Care Kits ( Used for daily oral hygiene three to four timer per day)
As a community of family, friends and acquaintances, we have a great opportunity to help provide Sovonne with a dedicated support base that will foster healing and give her body what it needs to evict cancer from her life! Our efforts are to cure, not mask. So together, let’s pick up the torch and help Sovonne in her biggest time of need!
We hope that you will join us in this fight and share Sovonne’s story.
If you have any questions, please reach out to one of the designated point people
Katrina Highsmith - [email redacted]
Todd Heustess - [email redacted]
Mick Rogers - [email redacted]
About Sovonne
Affectionately called "Miss U" by her students, Sovonne is a dedicated Building Base Substitute Teacher working in schools located in an Urban City deemed as the “most dangerous city in the nation”. This past school year Sovonne has used her talents to teach Technology, focusing specifically on teaching computer software language using a visual program called “Blockly” with her Middle School students and color coding with her Elementary Students using Ozobots”.
In an effort to enhance and develop a technology program Sovonne personally purchased two video Drones and STEM Kits for her classes, fostered a partnership with a local non-profit technology training program and sought to implement a film production lab in the school.
No matter what Sovonne does, you can bet that she will put all her heart into it! She was recognized in March as “Staff of the Month” by her peers, and her hospital room was flooded with cards from her students thanking her for helping them learn computers and wishing her a speedy recovery!
Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read about Sovonne’s fight. Everyone can help in their own way, even if you cannot donate you can help us spread oral cancer awareness and get additional eyes on our campaign for Sovonne by sharing it with friends, family and coworkers. Every contribution in any form goes a long way to help. #Squamouscellawareness #earlydetection #oralcancerdentalchecks #crushsquamous
Organizer and beneficiary
Katrina Highsmith
Organizer
Oaklyn, NJ
Sovonne Ukam
Beneficiary
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