For GBM Survivor Alaina (Haggerty) Wetzel

A Go Fund Me has been set up for Glioblastoma (GBM) survivor, Alaina (Haggerty) Wetzel, to have the ability to raise money for her GBM journey, including the potential to go to Germany for Dendritic Cell Therapy, an innovative treatment that boosts the immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells.

The overall goal is to be able to support Alaina as she continues her fight against brain cancer. In addition, she hopes to raise money for glioblastoma research.

Our hope is that this fundraiser will help Alaina continue on her healing journey with this disease.

Alaina has had quite the journey in her current 3.5 year mark with GBM. It all started in February 2020, when her good friend, a Nurse Practitioner came to visit her. She noticed that Alaina had a slight droop in her lip, and asked her to get it checked out. Originally, it was suspected she may have Bell’s Palsy. But when that test and others were negative, her doctors weren’t sure what was going on. She was prescribed steroids, which did not help her condition. Finally, in July 2020, a craniotomy was performed in order to biopsy the brain tissue. Much to Alaina’s dismay and surprise, the test revealed that she had Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) brain tumor.

At age 32, her life was turned upside down. Alaina had a great life, living on the Upper East Side in NYC. With a college degree in Civil Engineering from Villanova University (Class of 2009), she was working for a construction management firm as a manager within the Risk and Operations group in Manhattan. While working full-time, she also received a Masters degree in Construction Management from New York University in Manhattan in 2018.

She was enjoying life with her close friends, her fiancé Christopher, and an amazing loving family.

Alaina started with the standard treatments of chemotherapy and radiation. Neither did much to shrink her tumor. The day before she started radiation in mid-July, Alaina had her first seizure and would have a few more before she started taking a higher dose of Keppra, an anti-seizure medication. However, in September 2020, she had a full seizure, which caused stroke-like effects.

Over time, Alaina’s right side has been weakened. She uses a cane to walk around her house. But for longer walking distances, Alaina uses her wheelchair. She also can’t use her right arm or hand.

Working with her doctors at NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia Hospital, Alaina switched to Immunotherapy (Avastin) and then also took Lomustine to treat the tumor. The new treatments had a positive effect, and her tumor has been stable since March 2022. Since that time, Alaina was able to stop all treatments, enabling her to give her body a break, and a chance for her to reset on all levels.

Despite her diagnosis, Alaina continues to live life to the fullest each day. She was married to her beloved husband Christopher, on June 29, 2021, almost a year after she started treatment. She went to Helen Hayes Hospital for rehab for 10 days, prior to her wedding day, so that she could walk down the aisle with her father, and enjoy her memorable day.

She continues to work from home, part-time, with the Construction Management firm in NYC. She’s learning to use her left hand more to help in day-to-day activities, and computer technology has allowed her to continue to communicate without typing. An avid reader, she engages in a Book Club started by her friends and sisters, shortly after her diagnosis.

Alaina stressed how grateful she is for her ‘support system’, which includes her loving husband, Christopher, her parents, her sisters, close friends, and family. And of course, her three year old Cavapoo, Remy.

Alaina is a courageous warrior, with a fighting spirit!

Please support her and her family by donating to her Go Fund Me.