Elaine's Medical Expenses
Donation protected
It’s been five years since my wife, Elaine, was diagnosed with stage-4 colon cancer. I can tell you she’s got the determination, resolve, and will to be a true survivor. Elaine is currently seeking medical treatment at an integrative cancer clinic in Germany because last fall, three small tumors in her liver were declared inoperable without a drastic and highly risky procedure. Since December of 2015, Elaine has completed three trips to the clinic and experienced a successful reduction of the tumors by 30%. She is scheduled for her 4th and, hopefully, final treatment in mid-April. Though we have medical insurance, it doesn’t cover any expenses incurred outside of the country. We would greatly appreciate your help with the mounting medical costs.
In August of 2011 our daughter, Sophie, was about to begin high school and Elaine received the news from her liver surgeon that she would be lucky enough to see her daughter learn to drive. Instead of getting depressed about this devastating news, she got angry. If you know Elaine, you know this is a RARE event. “No one has the right to tell me how long I have to live!” she told me. From that moment on, she decided to become her own advocate, to educate herself and me about this disease, and to be an active participant in her treatment plan and recovery. We also found a different doctor.
Elaine’s attitude, courage, resilience, and above all, her inner strength and conviction inspired by spiritual beliefs, amazes me. A devoted wife, mother, and step-mother to my son, she is also a well-respected adjunct professor of piano at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. A dedicated teacher, Elaine began fall semester of 2011 on time, just 3 weeks after her first major surgery.
She came home from the hospital with 27 metal staples that ran from her sternum to the top of her pubic bone, the result of 20% of her lower left lobe of liver and 10 inches of colon surgically resected. Three months later, after her 3rd round of chemo, she complained of such severe stomach cramps that I had to rush her to the emergency room. The doctors had discovered that 2/3 of her stomach was inverted and had come through a rip in her diaphragm - a serious, life-threatening experience. She had lost so much weight during the hospital stay, that a feeding tube was inserted into her stomach. After two months, she resumed 6 more rounds of chemo and enjoyed two years of remission.
One of the side effects of chemo had caused her to develop a severe psoriasis of her hands that led to painful cracks and fissures. She couldn’t play the piano, teach or do anything without having to wear vinyl gloves. Her hands had become so sensitive and dry that even a few minutes of exposure to air caused them to hurt terribly. I’m happy to report that with two years of phototherapy treatments, she seems to have recovered.
When another tumor showed up on a MRI scan in 2013, my wife was crushed. She didn’t want any more chemo, but agreed to have another major, open surgery in May of 2014 to remove the tumor growing on the right side of her liver. By fall, it became evident that the surgery had failed. In the meantime, Sophie, who decided she wanted to be a voice major in college, was preparing for vocal auditions around the country and in Canada. Enjoying their musical collaborations, Elaine accompanied Sophie in her audition videos, vocal lessons, and also flew with our daughter to each audition location. Elaine scheduled a less invasive radio frequency ablation procedure around the many college visits to accommodate Sophie’s fixed schedule, it was an intense and exhausting year.
Last fall, after sending our daughter off to college, a follow-up MRI detected yet more tumor activity around the same area with evidence that it was slowly spreading. A team of doctors concluded that it was inoperable without very drastic and risky medical intervention. My wife rejected the proposed plan and came up with her own. Her research led her to an integrative cancer clinic in Germany, where both conventional and alternative modalities are used. It was a bold and decisive move. The timing coincided with UC’s winter break and Elaine spent three weeks at the clinic, while Sophie and I stayed through Christmas with her in Germany. Elaine and Sophie even put on a small holiday concert at the clinic the day after Elaine’s first main treatment, a transarterial percutaneous chemoemboliztion. This procedure involves shooting a strong dose of chemo directly into the hepatic vein to target the tumors directly instead of going through the entire body. It is more effective with fewer side effects.
At the clinic, Elaine also receives local hyperthermia, a heat-based modality (that kills cancer cells without any side effects), detoxification of the body through intravenous infusions, high-dose vitamin infusions, oxygen and ozone therapies, and injections of thymus peptides. She is on a fairly strict diet, uses many supplements, and regularly receives acupuncture and energy healing techniques, such as Reiki. Returning alone to Germany in January and February, the treatments have reduced the tumor sizes by 30%. Elaine is getting ready for a 4th and final treatment, a laser ablation, which is a minimally invasive procedure designed to target the exact location of the tumors using MRI-guided laser technology. Because of the excellent response Elaine has had with these treatments and the fact that the cancer hasn’t spread, her doctors are very encouraged with her prognosis.
Elaine has been motivated to read and study a lot about the link between unresolved psychological/emotional issues, chronic stress, diet, belief systems, and disease. She is currently writing a book detailing what she has learned and experienced, especially in the realm of healing and spirituality, in hopes that it may help others navigate their own journey back to health and wellness.
Donations can also be sent to:
Fifth Third Bank (or any branch)
2355 Victory Parkway
Cincinnati, OH 45206
Please make checks payable to:
“The Benefit of Elaine Leung-Wolf”
We thank you for your support!
In August of 2011 our daughter, Sophie, was about to begin high school and Elaine received the news from her liver surgeon that she would be lucky enough to see her daughter learn to drive. Instead of getting depressed about this devastating news, she got angry. If you know Elaine, you know this is a RARE event. “No one has the right to tell me how long I have to live!” she told me. From that moment on, she decided to become her own advocate, to educate herself and me about this disease, and to be an active participant in her treatment plan and recovery. We also found a different doctor.
Elaine’s attitude, courage, resilience, and above all, her inner strength and conviction inspired by spiritual beliefs, amazes me. A devoted wife, mother, and step-mother to my son, she is also a well-respected adjunct professor of piano at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. A dedicated teacher, Elaine began fall semester of 2011 on time, just 3 weeks after her first major surgery.
She came home from the hospital with 27 metal staples that ran from her sternum to the top of her pubic bone, the result of 20% of her lower left lobe of liver and 10 inches of colon surgically resected. Three months later, after her 3rd round of chemo, she complained of such severe stomach cramps that I had to rush her to the emergency room. The doctors had discovered that 2/3 of her stomach was inverted and had come through a rip in her diaphragm - a serious, life-threatening experience. She had lost so much weight during the hospital stay, that a feeding tube was inserted into her stomach. After two months, she resumed 6 more rounds of chemo and enjoyed two years of remission.
One of the side effects of chemo had caused her to develop a severe psoriasis of her hands that led to painful cracks and fissures. She couldn’t play the piano, teach or do anything without having to wear vinyl gloves. Her hands had become so sensitive and dry that even a few minutes of exposure to air caused them to hurt terribly. I’m happy to report that with two years of phototherapy treatments, she seems to have recovered.
When another tumor showed up on a MRI scan in 2013, my wife was crushed. She didn’t want any more chemo, but agreed to have another major, open surgery in May of 2014 to remove the tumor growing on the right side of her liver. By fall, it became evident that the surgery had failed. In the meantime, Sophie, who decided she wanted to be a voice major in college, was preparing for vocal auditions around the country and in Canada. Enjoying their musical collaborations, Elaine accompanied Sophie in her audition videos, vocal lessons, and also flew with our daughter to each audition location. Elaine scheduled a less invasive radio frequency ablation procedure around the many college visits to accommodate Sophie’s fixed schedule, it was an intense and exhausting year.
Last fall, after sending our daughter off to college, a follow-up MRI detected yet more tumor activity around the same area with evidence that it was slowly spreading. A team of doctors concluded that it was inoperable without very drastic and risky medical intervention. My wife rejected the proposed plan and came up with her own. Her research led her to an integrative cancer clinic in Germany, where both conventional and alternative modalities are used. It was a bold and decisive move. The timing coincided with UC’s winter break and Elaine spent three weeks at the clinic, while Sophie and I stayed through Christmas with her in Germany. Elaine and Sophie even put on a small holiday concert at the clinic the day after Elaine’s first main treatment, a transarterial percutaneous chemoemboliztion. This procedure involves shooting a strong dose of chemo directly into the hepatic vein to target the tumors directly instead of going through the entire body. It is more effective with fewer side effects.
At the clinic, Elaine also receives local hyperthermia, a heat-based modality (that kills cancer cells without any side effects), detoxification of the body through intravenous infusions, high-dose vitamin infusions, oxygen and ozone therapies, and injections of thymus peptides. She is on a fairly strict diet, uses many supplements, and regularly receives acupuncture and energy healing techniques, such as Reiki. Returning alone to Germany in January and February, the treatments have reduced the tumor sizes by 30%. Elaine is getting ready for a 4th and final treatment, a laser ablation, which is a minimally invasive procedure designed to target the exact location of the tumors using MRI-guided laser technology. Because of the excellent response Elaine has had with these treatments and the fact that the cancer hasn’t spread, her doctors are very encouraged with her prognosis.
Elaine has been motivated to read and study a lot about the link between unresolved psychological/emotional issues, chronic stress, diet, belief systems, and disease. She is currently writing a book detailing what she has learned and experienced, especially in the realm of healing and spirituality, in hopes that it may help others navigate their own journey back to health and wellness.
Donations can also be sent to:
Fifth Third Bank (or any branch)
2355 Victory Parkway
Cincinnati, OH 45206
Please make checks payable to:
“The Benefit of Elaine Leung-Wolf”
We thank you for your support!
Organizer
Allen Leung-wolf
Organizer
Cincinnati, OH
