Help for Carin Graber
Donation protected
My wife, Catharina Graber, mother of 3 and a public school ESL teacher was diagnosed with grade III Astrocytoma / Oligodendrogliomain Brain tumor in her frontal right lobe in 2009. Since that time she has had two craniotomies to remove brain tumors where she is being treated at MD Anderson in Houston Texas.
We learned this past June 2014 on a routine 3 month follow up visit that the tumor was once again growing and as a next step, her doctor recommended that she undergo a procedure called "Proton Beam Radiation" which is very effective in brain cancer patients because it only exposes the caner tissue to the radiation leaving the healthy brain tissue untouched by radiation which might cause further damage and complications to the patient . This was extremely important in the case of "Carin" since she had already had two invasive surgeries.
To embark on this treatment, we moved to Houston Tx in an extended stay apartment in Houston, TX where she was to begin this process .After two days of Doctors appointments she was fitted for a head harness for the therapy . It was at this time we recieved horrifying news! MD Anderson could do no more for Carin unless we paid $90,000 because Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana through the Louisiana office of group benifits, had denied coverage of these treatments claiming that this therapy was investigational and no coverered under our plan.
Over a period of two months that followed and while the cancer was still growing in Carins head we devise ways to raise the money ourselves and held some fundraisors . In addition we took out $50,000 in personal loans even though Carin was out of work on the famiy medical leave act and was not getting paid. I was being paid just 65% of my salary but the bills were growing each day.
I had to take money from that docked salary and keep her insurance up to date or else she would lose it. so it just got really ugly for us financially having to worry about that along side of the stress of dealing with Carin's brain cancer.
So where are we at today? Carin completed Proton Therapy and is now taking Chemo for one year. She is doing amazingly well considering what she is facing and her outlook is so positive and delightful to be around. The bills and our living week to week still create stress but we have faith by just seeing what God has done so far. We give Him the glory and may his light shine on everyone who has helped Carin. You are the "good samaritans" You have saved a life by your generousity and by remembering Carin in your thoughts and prayers!
We still need to pay for cancer treatment and medical expenses so if you are so inclined and feel a pulling on your heart to help It would be such a blessing to us.
If you're are a praying person, please pray for us. We need a miracle for Carin and believe that God works them all the time.
Regular updates can be followed on Gofundme.com/au6xjk
as well as
Carin on Facebook
Thanks for reading and also for you care and concern
Donations may also be sent to:
Catharina Graber
20 Chatham Dr.
New Orleans La. 70122
or at http://www.gofundme.com/au6xjk
God Bless
Brian Graber
We learned this past June 2014 on a routine 3 month follow up visit that the tumor was once again growing and as a next step, her doctor recommended that she undergo a procedure called "Proton Beam Radiation" which is very effective in brain cancer patients because it only exposes the caner tissue to the radiation leaving the healthy brain tissue untouched by radiation which might cause further damage and complications to the patient . This was extremely important in the case of "Carin" since she had already had two invasive surgeries.
To embark on this treatment, we moved to Houston Tx in an extended stay apartment in Houston, TX where she was to begin this process .After two days of Doctors appointments she was fitted for a head harness for the therapy . It was at this time we recieved horrifying news! MD Anderson could do no more for Carin unless we paid $90,000 because Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana through the Louisiana office of group benifits, had denied coverage of these treatments claiming that this therapy was investigational and no coverered under our plan.
Over a period of two months that followed and while the cancer was still growing in Carins head we devise ways to raise the money ourselves and held some fundraisors . In addition we took out $50,000 in personal loans even though Carin was out of work on the famiy medical leave act and was not getting paid. I was being paid just 65% of my salary but the bills were growing each day.
I had to take money from that docked salary and keep her insurance up to date or else she would lose it. so it just got really ugly for us financially having to worry about that along side of the stress of dealing with Carin's brain cancer.
So where are we at today? Carin completed Proton Therapy and is now taking Chemo for one year. She is doing amazingly well considering what she is facing and her outlook is so positive and delightful to be around. The bills and our living week to week still create stress but we have faith by just seeing what God has done so far. We give Him the glory and may his light shine on everyone who has helped Carin. You are the "good samaritans" You have saved a life by your generousity and by remembering Carin in your thoughts and prayers!
We still need to pay for cancer treatment and medical expenses so if you are so inclined and feel a pulling on your heart to help It would be such a blessing to us.
If you're are a praying person, please pray for us. We need a miracle for Carin and believe that God works them all the time.
Regular updates can be followed on Gofundme.com/au6xjk
as well as
Carin on Facebook
Thanks for reading and also for you care and concern
Donations may also be sent to:
Catharina Graber
20 Chatham Dr.
New Orleans La. 70122
or at http://www.gofundme.com/au6xjk
God Bless
Brian Graber
Organizer
Brian Graber
Organizer
New Orleans, LA