Help Valerie restore her smile post-tumor

Hi, I’m Valerie!

Back in 2015 I was diagnosed with a keratocystic odontogenic tumor. In an effort to avoid surgery I had 14 outpatient procedures attempting to drain and shrink the tumor. For a while it worked but during a routine follow up, my oral surgeon found that it had cracked into my nasal canal. This tumor refused to be ignored.

In December 2019 I went through a massive surgery and spent 17 days in the hospital (mostly ICU). I had 7 teeth, the corresponding jaw bone, and half the roof of my mouth removed. I fought through a tracheostomy, pneumonia, and left the hospital with a PICC line for additional antibiotics.

The roof of my mouth is now a titanium plate. My new jaw bone was grafted from my fibula. I thought the healing process could finally begin. I was wrong.

Following surgery, I had a very large amount of scar tissue set in. I’ve now added scar tissue removal, a tissue graft from my wrist, and a skin graft from my thigh to my list of surgeries.

Now that I’ve gone through 17 procedures, I’ve finally gotten clearance from my surgeons to restore my smile! I got the beginnings of my implants started about a year and a half ago. Unfortunately, insurance is standing in my way to finish the job. Dental says it’s medical. Medical says it’s cosmetic. Not sure how having teeth removed because of a tumor is cosmetic but I digress.

I’m now trying to collect the funds to end the journey I started almost 8 years ago. This money will be used to finish restoring my smile. My dental oncologist is working on 5 new porcelain teeth for me.

All of this has weighed very heavy on my heart. I love to laugh. To smile. To meet people. Since December of 2019, I have been incredibly unhappy with the way I look. For the longest time, I hated looking in the mirror. Even now, I have moments that I don’t feel like myself.

Please help me finish this journey and get my smile back!