DANNA'S FIGHT AGAINST CANCER
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DANNA'S FIGHT AGAINST STAGE IV CHOLANGIOCARCINOMA
My daughter celebrated her 30th birthday by having a colonoscopy. She had a tumor on her liver and they were calling it a “cancer of unknown origin”, meaning they did not know from where it originated, therefore they did not know how to begin to treat it. So she underwent a colonoscopy, a breast ultrasound and biopsy, as well as a multitude of other various tests and procedures. Finally the diagnosis came – Danna was diagnosed with Stage IV Cholangiocarcinoma, a rare cancer of the bile ducts in the liver. For Danna, it was the rarest form of the disease, Intrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer. According to the doctors, it is “treatable” but not “curable”.
There are only a few major medical centers that treat this particular cancer. Thankfully for us, MD Anderson Cancer Hospital in Houston is on the list of qualified medical facilities. So after a year of chemo and trips back and forth to Houston, Danna spent her 31st birthday in Houston having radiation treatment. She would stay in Houston Monday thru Friday, come home to Graford on Friday afternoon, and go back to Houston early Monday morning. She did this for 5 weeks. The results were worth it as this largest and most “life threatening” tumor has remained stable this entire last year.
In January of 2015, Danna began a new clinical trial with MD Anderson. The clinical trial protocol required weekly trips in the beginning, then bi-weekly trips, and now monthly trips to Houston. We are so thankful and blessed that results to date have been very good with all tumors remaining stable and/or some shrinkage.
With help of friends and family, Danna has managed the medical expenses and Houston trips for the last 2 ½ years. However, beginning September 2015 her only medical insurance will be Medicare. She is a single mother raising 3 year old Ricky on a limited income. It is difficult to ask for monetary help, but the stress of managing medical expenses while providing a home for her and Ricky is becoming too much for Danna.
So, I created this page for her to receive help. Please give as your heart leads you to and know that the funds will be used responsibly for medical/Houston travel expenses and other necessities. We love and appreciate all our friends and family who have supported us on this journey thus far and we know you continue to support us. If you are not able to give financial support, we ask for your continued prayers. Thank you everyone.
My daughter celebrated her 30th birthday by having a colonoscopy. She had a tumor on her liver and they were calling it a “cancer of unknown origin”, meaning they did not know from where it originated, therefore they did not know how to begin to treat it. So she underwent a colonoscopy, a breast ultrasound and biopsy, as well as a multitude of other various tests and procedures. Finally the diagnosis came – Danna was diagnosed with Stage IV Cholangiocarcinoma, a rare cancer of the bile ducts in the liver. For Danna, it was the rarest form of the disease, Intrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer. According to the doctors, it is “treatable” but not “curable”.
There are only a few major medical centers that treat this particular cancer. Thankfully for us, MD Anderson Cancer Hospital in Houston is on the list of qualified medical facilities. So after a year of chemo and trips back and forth to Houston, Danna spent her 31st birthday in Houston having radiation treatment. She would stay in Houston Monday thru Friday, come home to Graford on Friday afternoon, and go back to Houston early Monday morning. She did this for 5 weeks. The results were worth it as this largest and most “life threatening” tumor has remained stable this entire last year.
In January of 2015, Danna began a new clinical trial with MD Anderson. The clinical trial protocol required weekly trips in the beginning, then bi-weekly trips, and now monthly trips to Houston. We are so thankful and blessed that results to date have been very good with all tumors remaining stable and/or some shrinkage.
With help of friends and family, Danna has managed the medical expenses and Houston trips for the last 2 ½ years. However, beginning September 2015 her only medical insurance will be Medicare. She is a single mother raising 3 year old Ricky on a limited income. It is difficult to ask for monetary help, but the stress of managing medical expenses while providing a home for her and Ricky is becoming too much for Danna.
So, I created this page for her to receive help. Please give as your heart leads you to and know that the funds will be used responsibly for medical/Houston travel expenses and other necessities. We love and appreciate all our friends and family who have supported us on this journey thus far and we know you continue to support us. If you are not able to give financial support, we ask for your continued prayers. Thank you everyone.
Organizer and beneficiary
Pamela Parkinson
Organizer
Mineral Wells, TX
Danna Grisso
Beneficiary