Lora Jernigan

Near the end of 2018, Vianne was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in the bones of her lower left leg. She was 12. During the course of treatment, she experienced complications including a persistent infection, nose bleeds and more. Her father was able to take time off from work to be with her through the majority of her treatment as her mother was dealing with some very serious mental health challenges. In the summer of 2019, her mother lost that battle. Vianne, her dad and her brother were still deeply grieving that loss as chemotherapy wrapped up and the complications were eventually resolved. In the years since, we have watched our girl grow and develop more confidence and strength. There were some set backs though. In the summer of 2024, she stepped a bit too hard and broke some bones in her ankle. She worked hard and gained back some ability to walk again, only to begin having trouble a few months ago. After a fall, there were x-rays and then a needle biopsy. On Monday, January 19th, the results were in. The cancer has returned and Vianne and her dad have another battle to face together. What we know so far is that we will need to support dad so he can be with her. She will begin chemo early next week. She will be scheduled for an amputation of her left leg in the coming weeks. We expect her to receive chemo for 9 months to a year. Recovery from amputation will also require about a year. While we hope that life might have some semblance of normal sooner, it is possible that she will not be able to be at home alone for 9 months to a year. She has good insurance through her father’s employment so while there will be copays and deductibles, our primary concern is maintaining her home and keeping them both fed and provided with basic necessities. They are not in the habit of living a lavish lifestyle so this is a modest proposition. We expect the first two months to be covered with saved up vacation time. We understand that the world is overwhelming in so many ways right now and that resources are thin for everyone. We are asking for your help to see this little family through to brighter days, after some pretty heavy years. Help if you can, share if you’d like and please feel free to reach out if you’d like to help in other ways.