Help Daisy and her family fight brain cancer

HELP DAISY & HER FAMILY FIGHT BRAIN CANCER

#fightfordaisybee

This fundraiser is for a sweet four year old girl named Daisy who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer just a few weeks ago.

Asking for help is incredibly hard when the reason seems unfathomable and there is no end in sight to solutions or a straight path to recovery. We do know that this is just the beginning of a very long and arduous journey for a little girl and her family. We hope you can hear her story and act by contributing or sharing this fundraiser.

DAISY’S STORY

One morning little Daisy woke up not feeling very well. She had a headache, was sore on her elbows and knees and vomited her breakfast. This sounds like a typical day one might wake up too with a four year old, and her parents Paul and Bex brought her to the pediatrician and eventually to the ER when the symptoms continued. Within a few days of unanswered questions, continuing symptoms and worry, Daisy was given a CT scan where they found fluid and a large tumor in her brain. At that moment everything changed for Daisy, Paul, Bex and baby James, and every second counted.

Daisy was scheduled for immediate emergency surgery to drain and relieve the pressure of fluids on her brain which was causing the symptoms and a surgery to remove the tumor was scheduled for within 48 hours of finding out the diagnosis. What followed has been a harrowing series of MRI’s test’s biopsies and surgeries to remove the tumor and save Daisy’s life.

WORSE NEWS: MALIGNANT TUMOR

Finding out that their baby girl had a brain tumor was just the first realization in a roller coaster of operations, biopsies and tests. After the initial surgeries, the 10 day wait for biopsy results was unbearable, but finding out that Daisy’s tumor was not only malignant but a rare and very aggressive form of brain cancer called a Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor has rocked this family’s foundation.

DAUNTING FUTURE: CHEMO & RADIATION THERAPY

With the devastating news that the tumor was malignant, Daisy and her family now face her treatment and all of the steps it takes to get her body ready for the challenges she will face and how to get through it. Daisy has to be in a stable condition to start chemotherapy which means that the fluids have to be draining properly from her brain cavity, she has two spinal tap, and more MRI’s to make sure all of the tumor has been removed. And even more waiting to get confirmation form multiple cancer research organizations that her biopsy result of Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor is correct and what the treatment steps will be.

CHEMOTHERAPY UPDATE:

Daisy started her first cycle of chemotherapy on Thursday 10/5. As we all headed into a long weekend Daisy and her family started the next step in trying to beat this cancer!

DAISY: JUST A LITTLE GIRL FACING INCREDIBLE CHALLENGES

In just a few short day’s Daisy went from smiling and playing to having to face unfathomably difficult physical challenges. Daisy’s surgery to remove the tumor went as well as it could have, as the mass was aligned between the two primary left and right brain lobes where the tumor was mostly in fluid and from the CT can thought to be not attached to her brain. She underwent two surgeries to remove the mass with a necessary intermission while she recovered enough from hemorrhaging to continue the surgery. Unfortunately the mass was attached to an area of her left lobe that controls her motor skills and Daisy has lost control of movement of the right side of her body. Daisy can squeeze her fingers tight on her left hand when prompted, but she is still non verbal. There is hope that with the right treatment and physical therapy that Daisy will regain full use of her right side, but the priority is keeping Daisy alive and fighting this cancer. Daisy’s parents Paul and Bex have not left her side for weeks to make sure that every time Daisy opens her eyes that one of them is there.

UNKNOWN: WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

There are so many unknowns for Daisy as her biopsies are analyzed and her chemotherapy and radiation treatment started. Every day there are little glimmers of hope for recovery and also unfortunately medical setbacks that are daunting and exhausting for Daisy and her family.

PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL & SPEECH THERAPY TO REGAIN MOVEMENT:

Daisy has physical, occupational and speech therapy every day as she continues through chemotherapy. SInce her surgery, Daisy has been not only extremely weak, but she has lost use of her right side of her body. There are little glimmers of hope and Daisy smiles and even laughs! she is regaining some head and next control and her right side which has been immobile since her surgery is slowly opening to becoming more receptive to the physical therapy. Daisy will have to go to a additional rehabilitation facility between chemotherapy treatment to have a more regimented and intensive therapy.

TAKE ACTION!: WHAT CAN WE DO? FUNDRAISER!

There are no explanations, guidelines or textbooks to tell a family what to do when something like this happens to their child. The speed to react and save their baby girl has put an intense emotional, physical and financial strain on this family. Every minute feels like it counts and yet time between every appointment, scan, bloodwork, biopsy and every minute feels like a week and every day like a month. The waiting and not knowing what will happen next can be paralyzing for a family and this is why it is so important for friends, family and community to take action and make a difference. Bex and Paul may not have the energy and space to plan the next step when every step is uncertain, but we can!

There is no way to quantify a specific financial amount or need, since there are so many continuing unknowns. But what we do know is that every little bit of funds raised will make a difference and go towards the health and safety and betterment of little Daisy as she fights for her life.

UNKNOWN COSTS:

There are so many unknowns in this process:

Were they able to remove all of the aggressive tumor?

What treatment will be decided for Daisy?

Will Daisy recover mentally and physically from her surgeries?

How long will she have to be in the hospital?

Will they stay or be transferred to a different location with alternate medical care?

How will they cover additional travel expenses?

How will they cover bills?

What kind of physical, occupational and speech therapies will she need?

Will they need childcare for baby James to be available for Daisy?

Will she need at home medical support ?

How much of this does insurance cover?

When can her family go back to work to have a means of supporting themselves?

TO FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

@bexfinch

@daisywetzel

HASHTAGS TO SHARE:

#fightfordaisybee

#DaisyRecovery

#AtypicalTeratoidRhabdoidTumor

TIMELINE:

AUGUST 20: Daisy doesn't feel well. Sore elbows and knees and vomiting.

AUGUST 23: Pediatrician visit looking for lyme

AUGUST 24: First ER visit and given IV fluids due to dehydration

SEPTEMBER 1: Pediatric Gastroenterologist specialist appointment

SEPTEMBER 1 ( Labor day weekend ): Daisy admitted and immediate CT scan

September 2 ( Saturday ): SURGERY 1: Daisy is sedated and intubated to relieve pressure of fluids on her brain to stabilize her condition. First MRI: Was this tumor operable? ( Almost 6 hours of waiting and Daisy is in and out of consciousness ). Decision made to operate immediately the next day.

September 3 ( Sunday ): SURGERY 2: When they reached the tumor they found that it was more extensive than originally thought from the MRI’s. Daisy starts to hemorrhage during the first operation and the procedure is stalled while she gets a necessary blood transfusion and rest.

September 4: ( labor day ): Daisy goes in for her second surgery to remove the rest of the tumor. Samples of brain tissue sent out immediately for biopsy.

September 5: Continuous support in PICU ( Pediatric Intensive Care Unit).

October 5: daisy begins Chemotherapy

Thank you for reading, caring, sharing and contributing!