Dominique's Cancer Battle
Donation protected
Hi Everyone – I would like to introduce you to my good friend and coworker, Dominique Martin. For those who have had the pleasure of meeting her, you will know her as unfailingly kind, funny, smart, absolutely lovely – one of the most beautiful people both inside and out.
Dom has had a difficult health road the last few years. She has odontogenic keratocys – a rare and usually benign but locally aggressive developmental cyst. Now 25, this cyst first developed underneath the right side of her face when she was 14. She had surgery a year and a half ago after the cyst began to significantly grow. Dom had her upper jaw bone removed and subsequently had bone grafted from her hip to her jaw. A few weeks ago, after experiencing swelling by her nose and under her right eye, distorted vision and pain, she went to an oncologist who confirmed the previously benign cyst was now malignant. Earlier this month, Dom went into surgery to completely remove the bone structure under her right orbital. An incision was made down the crease of her nose and into her upper lip in order to access the tumor for removal. She then had bone extracted from her skull which was used, in addition to metal plating, to recreate the orbital structure. Thankfully, she was able to retain sight in her eye. Next month, after she recovers from the surgery, radiation will begin five times a week for a number of weeks.
As you can imagine, this is has been a long, painful, scary and expensive process. And this is where the kindness of others will hopefully step in. Dom needs support to help pay for her surgery and weeks of radiation treatments. She is young, getting her feet off the ground with her first professional employment and all that has happened in the last few weeks and weeks to come has blindsided her. I ask that you take a moment and think about how you would feel if this was happening to you, or your wife, your sister, daughter or best friend. Think about the lengths you would go to in order to keep yourself or your loved one healthy and safe. I am asking that you help Dom stay on her feet so that she’s not buried in debt after the dust settles. Any little bit helps. Thanks for taking time to learn about her story, and thank you for spreading the word.
Dom has had a difficult health road the last few years. She has odontogenic keratocys – a rare and usually benign but locally aggressive developmental cyst. Now 25, this cyst first developed underneath the right side of her face when she was 14. She had surgery a year and a half ago after the cyst began to significantly grow. Dom had her upper jaw bone removed and subsequently had bone grafted from her hip to her jaw. A few weeks ago, after experiencing swelling by her nose and under her right eye, distorted vision and pain, she went to an oncologist who confirmed the previously benign cyst was now malignant. Earlier this month, Dom went into surgery to completely remove the bone structure under her right orbital. An incision was made down the crease of her nose and into her upper lip in order to access the tumor for removal. She then had bone extracted from her skull which was used, in addition to metal plating, to recreate the orbital structure. Thankfully, she was able to retain sight in her eye. Next month, after she recovers from the surgery, radiation will begin five times a week for a number of weeks.
As you can imagine, this is has been a long, painful, scary and expensive process. And this is where the kindness of others will hopefully step in. Dom needs support to help pay for her surgery and weeks of radiation treatments. She is young, getting her feet off the ground with her first professional employment and all that has happened in the last few weeks and weeks to come has blindsided her. I ask that you take a moment and think about how you would feel if this was happening to you, or your wife, your sister, daughter or best friend. Think about the lengths you would go to in order to keep yourself or your loved one healthy and safe. I am asking that you help Dom stay on her feet so that she’s not buried in debt after the dust settles. Any little bit helps. Thanks for taking time to learn about her story, and thank you for spreading the word.
Organizer and beneficiary
Kelli McNamara
Organizer
Rockville, MD
Dominique Martin
Beneficiary