Jessi's Story: Cancer & High-Risk-Pregnancy

Abigail Zeller is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Peter Zeller.

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Jessi, my sister-in-law and friend, is a woman full of fun, spunk, and joy. She loves Jesus wholeheartedly and is a mentor and friend to many. This gofundme is for Jessi, her husband Peter, and their one-year-old son, Declan. Near the end of October, Jessi discovered an abnormal lump near her clavicle. She went into an urgent care clinic on the 31st of October, where she received a swollen lymph node diagnosis and was given a prescription antibiotic.

By November 7th, the lump had not gone down. Again Jessi sought out medical attention, this time with her primary care physician. After receiving an abdomen CT scan, an additional mass in her chest was discovered to be even larger than the one on her neck. The significant size of the chest mass put it into the "Bulky disease" category. At this point, lymphoma cancer was considered the most likely cause for the masses, and a biopsy was ordered.

On November 14th, Jessi got her biopsy and on November 17th was given an official diagnosis of classical Hodgkin lymphoma. This devastating news caught Jessi and Peter completely off guard and they began figuring out their next steps in the process.

Jessi’s oncologist suggested that treatment start two weeks from diagnosis, and a radiation port was ordered for November 21st. Immediately before the procedure, blood work was done. As she lay on the operating table, with the procedure about to begin, a nurse walked in and gave Jessi the news that she was, in fact, pregnant. Upon learning about the pregnancy, the doctors put an indefinite hold on any procedure involving radiation due to the impact it could have on the baby.

This new information spurred a lot of complex emotions on top of everything Jessi and Peter were already processing. The biggest concern now was weighing Jessi's health and the baby's life and deciding on a treatment plan that prioritized both lives.

Both November and December have been full of consultations with oncologists and a high-risk Ob/Gyn as Peter and Jessi determine how best to treat her cancer while also caring for the baby's developing needs. Through meeting with these medical professionals, Jessi was given hope for her road ahead and the life of the baby.

After meeting with three oncologists for different treatment opinions, they found one with experience treating Hodgkin lymphoma during pregnancy. The oncologist is compassionate, caring, and experienced; everything they were looking for.

As of now, they are waiting until the second trimester of Jessi's pregnancy to begin her ABVD Chemo treatments. This gives the baby time to develop in the early stages of the pregnancy. Until then, she will be having bi-weekly appointments to check her cancer and its potential spread. They will also have an Ob/Gyn appointment soon to check on the baby's development.

Prayer Requests:

For Peter, Jessi, and Declan as they are walking through the deep waters of decision-making, medical appointments, and discovering more about Jessi's diagnosis.
Jessi's symptoms right now are minor aches and fatigue, please pray these would not get any worse so that she has the energy to care for Declan
That her cancer would not grow in the months ahead
For the doctors they are working with to have wisdom each step of the way
For protection and the healthy development of her baby
Praise for the community of people both in and outside of Denver who have been caring for them at this time.

Updates will continue to be posted on this gofundme. Please consider showing them financial support as they are facing overwhelming medical expenses due to current cancer appointments, future treatment, and a high-risk pregnancy.