Deb's Glioblastoma Fight Fund
Donation protected
On behalf of Deb by Mike Harvey
Deb's Story
Wednesday January 23rd was a normal day. As a Wine Professional, my partner Deb O’Brien was presenting wines to a customer when suddenly she could not express herself. The customer knew something was not right and called the stroke squad.
While in transit to the hospital she had two seizures and had to be loaded up with Ativan to relieve them. It was discovered she had an 1.6 cm tumor on her brain. It was behind her left ear, near her language area.
Oncologists do not know from where this came. There is no link to diet, exercise, environment, alcohol, cell phone usage…. they just don’t know.
On Feb 5th Deb had an awake craniotomy which saw a successful removal of the visible portion of the tumor.
A week later we learned the pathology results. They were not as we hoped. Deb has Grade 4 Glioblastoma (GBM), the most aggressive type of brain cancer.
www.healthline.com/health/brain-tumor/glioblastoma#modal-close
The original prognosis was 14-18 months.
However, she has a rare (good) gene mutation that gives her another 2 months. So her prognosis now is based on 20 month average (this means 2 more Christmases’). However, she has NEVER settled for average! Glioblastoma is tough, but 5-9% of the 20,000 diagnosed each year do live for 5+ years.
Deb is almost finished with the first phase of radiation and chemotherapy, and it is going well. Treatment is fatiguing, with some memory loss and significant hair loss. Otherwise, she is tolerating it reasonably well.
Phase two will begin in early May. She is a candidate for Optune Tumor Treating Field, which can run concurrent with the second (higher dosage) round of Chemo. She would wear a battery powered electrode cap, on her shaved head, from May to October, or longer. Clinical studies show a five month extension on survival if worn 24 hours a day.
Why we are organizing a Go-Fund-Me:
Brain cancer had the highest per-patient initial cost of care for any cancer group, with an annualized mean net cost of care approaching $150,000.
Brain cancer also had the highest annualized mean net costs for last-year-of-life care, relative to other cancers, at $135–$210K (depending on age and gender) per-patient.
The Brain Tumor Foundation estimates the cost of treating glioblastoma at more than $450,000 and says costs of treating a brain tumor can reach $700,000 in a lifetime.
The first total medical bill, for just January & February, was $176,000.... with more to come. Deb's FMLA coverage will end mid-April, and we are looking into alternative disability/ health coverages to carry through Phase two of treatment.
Please consider donating to our fund!
Thank you so much for all the support we have received.
We have a great community of friends and colleagues that are putting together two fundraisers in April and in May. She is much loved!
All donations will be applied to medical expenses. Should there be an excess of funds, Deb wants people to know she will select two charities to whom she will donate excess monies.
Go Team Deb!
“In first grade when I met Deb O'Brien (Puzder) she had beautiful curly hair, giant smiling eyes and was the sweetest girl ever. She still is. I’m grateful to have her as a forever friend. Can we show her some love from the class of 85 as she fights to beat Grade 4 glioblastoma?” - Deanine S.
"Deb and I became friends over a glass of wine 4 years ago. We have shared laughs, memories, wine, inside jokes and more wine!
During these 4 years I have realized that true friendship isn't about who you've known the longest...
It's about that person who:
- walks into your life one day and you feel an instant connection
- intellectually challenges you and whose sentences you can finish
because you're on the same page
- inspires you with their zest for living
- absolutely brightens your day
If there is a word for "old friends" who basically "just met", that word for me is Deb.' - Mary D.
Deb's Story
Wednesday January 23rd was a normal day. As a Wine Professional, my partner Deb O’Brien was presenting wines to a customer when suddenly she could not express herself. The customer knew something was not right and called the stroke squad.
While in transit to the hospital she had two seizures and had to be loaded up with Ativan to relieve them. It was discovered she had an 1.6 cm tumor on her brain. It was behind her left ear, near her language area.
Oncologists do not know from where this came. There is no link to diet, exercise, environment, alcohol, cell phone usage…. they just don’t know.
On Feb 5th Deb had an awake craniotomy which saw a successful removal of the visible portion of the tumor.
A week later we learned the pathology results. They were not as we hoped. Deb has Grade 4 Glioblastoma (GBM), the most aggressive type of brain cancer.
www.healthline.com/health/brain-tumor/glioblastoma#modal-close
The original prognosis was 14-18 months.
However, she has a rare (good) gene mutation that gives her another 2 months. So her prognosis now is based on 20 month average (this means 2 more Christmases’). However, she has NEVER settled for average! Glioblastoma is tough, but 5-9% of the 20,000 diagnosed each year do live for 5+ years.
Deb is almost finished with the first phase of radiation and chemotherapy, and it is going well. Treatment is fatiguing, with some memory loss and significant hair loss. Otherwise, she is tolerating it reasonably well.
Phase two will begin in early May. She is a candidate for Optune Tumor Treating Field, which can run concurrent with the second (higher dosage) round of Chemo. She would wear a battery powered electrode cap, on her shaved head, from May to October, or longer. Clinical studies show a five month extension on survival if worn 24 hours a day.
Why we are organizing a Go-Fund-Me:
Brain cancer had the highest per-patient initial cost of care for any cancer group, with an annualized mean net cost of care approaching $150,000.
Brain cancer also had the highest annualized mean net costs for last-year-of-life care, relative to other cancers, at $135–$210K (depending on age and gender) per-patient.
The Brain Tumor Foundation estimates the cost of treating glioblastoma at more than $450,000 and says costs of treating a brain tumor can reach $700,000 in a lifetime.
The first total medical bill, for just January & February, was $176,000.... with more to come. Deb's FMLA coverage will end mid-April, and we are looking into alternative disability/ health coverages to carry through Phase two of treatment.
Please consider donating to our fund!
Thank you so much for all the support we have received.
We have a great community of friends and colleagues that are putting together two fundraisers in April and in May. She is much loved!
All donations will be applied to medical expenses. Should there be an excess of funds, Deb wants people to know she will select two charities to whom she will donate excess monies.
Go Team Deb!
“In first grade when I met Deb O'Brien (Puzder) she had beautiful curly hair, giant smiling eyes and was the sweetest girl ever. She still is. I’m grateful to have her as a forever friend. Can we show her some love from the class of 85 as she fights to beat Grade 4 glioblastoma?” - Deanine S.
"Deb and I became friends over a glass of wine 4 years ago. We have shared laughs, memories, wine, inside jokes and more wine!
During these 4 years I have realized that true friendship isn't about who you've known the longest...
It's about that person who:
- walks into your life one day and you feel an instant connection
- intellectually challenges you and whose sentences you can finish
because you're on the same page
- inspires you with their zest for living
- absolutely brightens your day
If there is a word for "old friends" who basically "just met", that word for me is Deb.' - Mary D.
Organizer
Michael Harvey
Organizer
Broadview Heights, OH