Help Summer Vachna Fight Cancer

Summer was only 10 months old when she was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare type of eye cancer that affects young children, usually under the age of 5. This fundraiser was started to help her parents with medical expenses while Summer goes through treatment. To pay it forward, any leftover funds will be donated to fund childhood cancer research. A note from Summer’s parents:  “We are already grateful for the amount of support we have received for our daughter, Summer. She is named appropriately as she is a 10 month old bundle of joy. Always smiling and waving to anyone within sight.  Not too long ago, we noticed her right eye would drift inward, ever so slightly and infrequently,  but enough times that we brought her to be checked.   On Wednesday, May 10th, we were told she had retinoblastoma in her right eye.  There was a tumor, fractals throughout her eye, and she had lost 80% of her vision.  The options we were provided with were to remove the eye completely,  to try keep the cancer at bay,  or attempt a procedure that would inject chemo into the nerve in her eye, from an access point in her groin.   The procedure has a very high chance of success with stopping the cancer. If it's picked up early, retinoblastoma can often be successfully treated. More than 9 out of 10 children with the condition are cured. Summer’s vision may or may not return in some capacity, but only time will tell.    Of course, we wanted to give her every chance, and agreed to the procedure. She started the chemo the following day.   Summer will need to go for an MRI and have this procedure, once a month for three months.  If the treatment is successful, after the three months are completed, she will need continual monitoring to ensure the cancer does not spread to her other eye or brain. She may also need laser surgery to continue shrinking the tumor/fractals.   We are very fortunate to live in a place where her chance for survival with these procedures is above 95% rather than the 50% survival rate that this cancer has worldwide.   The necessary treatment procedure is outside of our insurance’s network,  so we appreciate any contributions that can be made to help support Summer’s chemotherapy. Each session of chemo costs about $30,000.  We are expecting a baby brother for Summer  in the fall, and  we are hoping she is able to hold him and look upon her brother’s face with both of her beautiful, blue eyes and be cancer free.     Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”    Summer’s father, Kevin, is an English high school teacher at Archbishop Stepinac in White Plains. After teaching for ten years in NYC public schools, he brought his love of education back to his alma mater and continues to be a mentor to his students in the classroom and behind the scenes in the Stepinac theatre program.  Summer’s mother, Dena, works at a non-profit media organization, LMC Media, in Mamaroneck. She helps to create content to serve the community and other nonprofits, as well as mentor youth in media. She now works part-time, so she could be with her daughter Summer,  but still helps serve the community she has been loyal to for over 16 years.