Help Mom of 3 sets of twins crush cancer!
Donation protected
On Wednesday, March 11, Deborah Finck was diagnosed with stage 3 Leiomyosarcoma cancer of the pulmonary artery. This is one of the rarest forms of cancer with less than 300 cases ever worldwide. Where it manifested made hers even more rare, since most cases form in the right side and her's was on the left.
Deborah is the kindest most warm-hearted giving person I know who was always there to give a helping hand or offer up a shoulder to lean on. She also is a loving wife and has SIX children - three sets of twins - who she supports and loves deeply. With all the giving that she has done over the decades, it is now time for her to be a good receiver because she needs your help.
For months she was misdiagnosed by numerous doctors, possibly because of the rareness of the cancer. She suffered for months with what they thought was bronchitis, asthma, upper respiratory infections and COPD that caused her to cough non-stop, not being able to sleep, and to get extremely worn out to the point of collapsing. Painful to go through and heartbreaking to watch.
While traveling with her husband, a waiter hit into her and broke her rib, and that broken rib ended up saving her life. Within minutes of reviewing the CT scan, her orthopedic doctor to told her to go directly to the emergency room at her local hospital to be admitted. When she arrived, they already had been looking at her scan and the pulmonary specialist informed her she had a “mass” in her pulmonary artery that they believed to be an embolism. However, they had NEVER seen anything like it so they could not really be sure what it was or what to do. The mass was the size of a plum. The Dr’s went on to tell her, they could not help her. Can you imagine having a doctor tell you, we can’t help you because we don’t know what you have? I visited her in the hospital and stayed with her, doctor's would come in and out of the room and say, "This is beyond us, you have to go somewhere else."
After a couple weeks of scary conversations with teams of doctors, she was miraculously referred to the right specialist who knew what she had and had treated it in the past. It meant traveling 3 hours to another state, moving into a local AirBNB, and staying local for a couple weeks to begin treatment by the doctors at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
Within days of final diagnosis, Deborah was scheduled for open-heart pulmonary artery surgery that should have lasted 6 to 8 hours but God was on her side she was out in four. The doctors were not optimistic as they mentally prepped Deborah and the immediate family for the surgery. The informed her there was still much information they did not know about what was going on with her and the only way to know was to open her up.They began to list all the possible challenges they could be facing during surgery and insisted Deborah's husband be on ready by his phone to discuss any “difficult decisions” they might have to make during surgery. To conduct this surgery they would be lowering her body temp to 20 degrees celsius and draining her body of all blood, opening up her rib cage, and moving her heart out of her chest to cut into the Pulmonary artery. The doctors told her she had a 5-10% chance of not surviving the day. Her husband and all six children said their goodbyes bedside before she was wheeled to the operating room. I can’t even imagine what that felt like for them all.
After talking to her on the phone the night before her surgery, she was crying to me saying how Paul and the six children gave cheerful hugs and kisses putting on a good front. She called me and cried saying “If I don’t come out of this, please tell them I love them - I love them all. But please Ro, just tell me I am going to be okay.” Her family means the world to her. Her husband and her children are her life. Paul is her one true love and soulmate.
Over the years I remember her saying she had to live a long time to make sure she was there for her children. And her desire to do the same for her future grandkids. She would say “I have to help them till they are grown. It is what I am meant to do”. I know she has more to accomplish on this earth and her husband and six children, Amanda, Alexandra, Stephen, Katerina, David, And Daniel, still need their mother.
Deborah did survive the surgery, and after 6 weeks of painful recovery had to begin the rest of the treatment. This includes going 3 hours away, checking into the hospital every 3 weeks for the next several months to undergo over 24 days of intense Chemo in 4 day increments. Just strong enough to kill everything in her body including all her white blood cells without killing her.
ALL OF THIS IS HAPPENING TO HER DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC! This has tremendously impacted and already horrible situation. This means she is going through much of this in isolation in the hospital with no loved ones allowed to be with her. It also means she has had no contact with friends or the family she does not live with because her immune system is compromised. Her and her immediate family have been in extreme lockdown to keep her safe longer than anyone else I know. As an emergency room nurse in Brooklyn, NY I’ve seen firsthand how severe COVID can hit in high-risk groups, and so every step they’re taking to maintain their isolation is certainly worth it. Plus, Deborah loves having the children with her so for her this has been a blessing. However, adding the anguish of the the financial burden of cancer treatment compounded by her husbands income being greatly effected by COVID cancelations with major losses so far and no possibility of this changing any time soon, it’s been a particularly straining time for them.
I am setting up this page on behalf of my good friend Deborah Finck. As I said, Deborah is always the first one to lend a helping hand and to give of herself consistently and continuously. NOW, she needs the help and she is terrible at asking for it, which is why I am taking it upon myself to do this for her.
With medical bills, four kids in college, food bills for her large family, core challenges with her husbands livelihood effected, and a long battle ahead of her with this rare cancer, I am asking you to offer up massive prayers and financial support for Deborah and her family. Whatever is in your heart to give in this double whammy of the challenge my friend is in right now would be appreciated. Every little bit counts. I am understanding that these are hard times for most people so if you can't donate, please please share!
There will be updates and praying for Deb’s care and that this will be shared as much as possible to a friends and family. Thank you in advance even during this situation we are all facing, we can find it in our hearts to show support for those in need. Your generosity is a blessing.
Stay Safe, Rosanna, RN
Deborah is the kindest most warm-hearted giving person I know who was always there to give a helping hand or offer up a shoulder to lean on. She also is a loving wife and has SIX children - three sets of twins - who she supports and loves deeply. With all the giving that she has done over the decades, it is now time for her to be a good receiver because she needs your help.
For months she was misdiagnosed by numerous doctors, possibly because of the rareness of the cancer. She suffered for months with what they thought was bronchitis, asthma, upper respiratory infections and COPD that caused her to cough non-stop, not being able to sleep, and to get extremely worn out to the point of collapsing. Painful to go through and heartbreaking to watch.
While traveling with her husband, a waiter hit into her and broke her rib, and that broken rib ended up saving her life. Within minutes of reviewing the CT scan, her orthopedic doctor to told her to go directly to the emergency room at her local hospital to be admitted. When she arrived, they already had been looking at her scan and the pulmonary specialist informed her she had a “mass” in her pulmonary artery that they believed to be an embolism. However, they had NEVER seen anything like it so they could not really be sure what it was or what to do. The mass was the size of a plum. The Dr’s went on to tell her, they could not help her. Can you imagine having a doctor tell you, we can’t help you because we don’t know what you have? I visited her in the hospital and stayed with her, doctor's would come in and out of the room and say, "This is beyond us, you have to go somewhere else."
After a couple weeks of scary conversations with teams of doctors, she was miraculously referred to the right specialist who knew what she had and had treated it in the past. It meant traveling 3 hours to another state, moving into a local AirBNB, and staying local for a couple weeks to begin treatment by the doctors at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
Within days of final diagnosis, Deborah was scheduled for open-heart pulmonary artery surgery that should have lasted 6 to 8 hours but God was on her side she was out in four. The doctors were not optimistic as they mentally prepped Deborah and the immediate family for the surgery. The informed her there was still much information they did not know about what was going on with her and the only way to know was to open her up.They began to list all the possible challenges they could be facing during surgery and insisted Deborah's husband be on ready by his phone to discuss any “difficult decisions” they might have to make during surgery. To conduct this surgery they would be lowering her body temp to 20 degrees celsius and draining her body of all blood, opening up her rib cage, and moving her heart out of her chest to cut into the Pulmonary artery. The doctors told her she had a 5-10% chance of not surviving the day. Her husband and all six children said their goodbyes bedside before she was wheeled to the operating room. I can’t even imagine what that felt like for them all.
After talking to her on the phone the night before her surgery, she was crying to me saying how Paul and the six children gave cheerful hugs and kisses putting on a good front. She called me and cried saying “If I don’t come out of this, please tell them I love them - I love them all. But please Ro, just tell me I am going to be okay.” Her family means the world to her. Her husband and her children are her life. Paul is her one true love and soulmate.
Over the years I remember her saying she had to live a long time to make sure she was there for her children. And her desire to do the same for her future grandkids. She would say “I have to help them till they are grown. It is what I am meant to do”. I know she has more to accomplish on this earth and her husband and six children, Amanda, Alexandra, Stephen, Katerina, David, And Daniel, still need their mother.
Deborah did survive the surgery, and after 6 weeks of painful recovery had to begin the rest of the treatment. This includes going 3 hours away, checking into the hospital every 3 weeks for the next several months to undergo over 24 days of intense Chemo in 4 day increments. Just strong enough to kill everything in her body including all her white blood cells without killing her.
ALL OF THIS IS HAPPENING TO HER DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC! This has tremendously impacted and already horrible situation. This means she is going through much of this in isolation in the hospital with no loved ones allowed to be with her. It also means she has had no contact with friends or the family she does not live with because her immune system is compromised. Her and her immediate family have been in extreme lockdown to keep her safe longer than anyone else I know. As an emergency room nurse in Brooklyn, NY I’ve seen firsthand how severe COVID can hit in high-risk groups, and so every step they’re taking to maintain their isolation is certainly worth it. Plus, Deborah loves having the children with her so for her this has been a blessing. However, adding the anguish of the the financial burden of cancer treatment compounded by her husbands income being greatly effected by COVID cancelations with major losses so far and no possibility of this changing any time soon, it’s been a particularly straining time for them.
I am setting up this page on behalf of my good friend Deborah Finck. As I said, Deborah is always the first one to lend a helping hand and to give of herself consistently and continuously. NOW, she needs the help and she is terrible at asking for it, which is why I am taking it upon myself to do this for her.
With medical bills, four kids in college, food bills for her large family, core challenges with her husbands livelihood effected, and a long battle ahead of her with this rare cancer, I am asking you to offer up massive prayers and financial support for Deborah and her family. Whatever is in your heart to give in this double whammy of the challenge my friend is in right now would be appreciated. Every little bit counts. I am understanding that these are hard times for most people so if you can't donate, please please share!
There will be updates and praying for Deb’s care and that this will be shared as much as possible to a friends and family. Thank you in advance even during this situation we are all facing, we can find it in our hearts to show support for those in need. Your generosity is a blessing.
Stay Safe, Rosanna, RN
Organizer and beneficiary
Rosanna Quaranta O'Mallon
Organizer
Staten Island, NY
Paul Finck
Beneficiary