Ava Vaske Cancer Treatment Fund

Hey friends and family, I am reaching out to raise money for my sister Ava Vaske. In November of 2021 Ava was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer. Since then she has undergone numerous procedures and 6 rounds of chemo. She is an absolute fighter and got through chemo like a champ.

On June 5th of this summer she left Des Moines to head up Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN to get her 7th and most intensive chemo treatment followed by her stem cell transplant. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, but in the last weeks of July things have taken a complicated turn. During her recovery from the stem cell transplant at Mayo Ava’s lungs got inflamed and tight, causing her heart and lungs to work extremely hard in an effort to get her through it. Ava was ultimately put on an ECMO device on July 22nd in hope to give her lungs an heart the needed rest and time to heal. Ava is and has been completely sedated on the ECMO device and a ventilator since July 22nd.

Many tests have been completed and on August 1st a decision was made to preform a procedure that will allow Ava to remain on the ECMO device for the necessary length of time to allow Ava’s lungs to rest and heal. Her lung recovery will be a delicate process and will take a considerable length of time on the cardiac intensive care floor.

Ava is continuing to be a fighter and things are in the hands of her and her doctors. I am taking this opportunity try and help fund these procedures she has to have and the costs for my family to stay in Rochester to support her. They have already been staying at the hospital and hotels for two months so you can imagine the impact of this news. I want to thank everyone who has already been supporting Ava and my family, and thank those who donate. Any amount helps! Please continue to keep Ava and my family in your thoughts and prayers.