Help Kait Kick Cancer!
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Dear Friends,
Our classmate and friend Kait Petrillo (Ranney '08) has recently been diagnosed with cancer, and we are reaching out to you, our community, to ask for your help in supporting her.
In December 2018, Kait was diagnosed with stage IV sarcoma, a very advanced form of cancer that attacks the soft tissue and spreads to other parts of the body. After experiencing a variety of symptoms leading up to her diagnosis, Kait and her doctors discovered a tumor in her chest, which began metastasizing and causing fluid buildup in her lungs, spine, and around her heart. Leading into the New Year and her 29th birthday, Kait underwent invasive testing and extensive scans. She was swiftly placed on a treatment plan that includes chemotherapy and radiation, which she is currently undergoing.
Before her diagnosis, Kait was an operating room nurse at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, NJ. She was also on her way to becoming a Nurse Practitioner and graduating her NP program this upcoming May. She has had to take a leave of absence from work and school. Kait's mom, Carol, has also taken a leave of absence from her job as a visiting hospice worker — a career she entered after seeing the impact a hospice worker had on their family when Kait's father, Daniel, had cancer. He ultimately passed away at the age of 49.
Kait and her family also lost her twin sister Kimberly to cancer in 1993, when the two were 3 years old. Attempting to find a connection, Kait’s doctors determined through genetic testing that Kait has LFS – Li Fraumeni Syndrome, an inherited familial predisposition to a wide range of certain, often rare, cancers. This is due to a mutation in a tumor suppressor gene known as TP53. The resulting P53 protein produced by the gene is damaged (or otherwise rendered malfunctioning), and is unable to help prevent malignant tumors from developing. Kimberly may have also had LFS.
After Kait’s first stretch of chemo, her tumor enlarged. She is now receiving more rigorous and aggressive chemotherapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Center in Middletown, NJ.
Our aim for this fundraiser is to show our love and care by providing support for Kait as she goes through this painful process. We are grateful for your help in achieving our goal, and for coming together to support Kait during this trying time.
Sincerely,
Liz Mirovich, Kathryn Lowry, and Paul Gale
Please feel free to reach out through our profile with any questions.
Our classmate and friend Kait Petrillo (Ranney '08) has recently been diagnosed with cancer, and we are reaching out to you, our community, to ask for your help in supporting her.
In December 2018, Kait was diagnosed with stage IV sarcoma, a very advanced form of cancer that attacks the soft tissue and spreads to other parts of the body. After experiencing a variety of symptoms leading up to her diagnosis, Kait and her doctors discovered a tumor in her chest, which began metastasizing and causing fluid buildup in her lungs, spine, and around her heart. Leading into the New Year and her 29th birthday, Kait underwent invasive testing and extensive scans. She was swiftly placed on a treatment plan that includes chemotherapy and radiation, which she is currently undergoing.
Before her diagnosis, Kait was an operating room nurse at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, NJ. She was also on her way to becoming a Nurse Practitioner and graduating her NP program this upcoming May. She has had to take a leave of absence from work and school. Kait's mom, Carol, has also taken a leave of absence from her job as a visiting hospice worker — a career she entered after seeing the impact a hospice worker had on their family when Kait's father, Daniel, had cancer. He ultimately passed away at the age of 49.
Kait and her family also lost her twin sister Kimberly to cancer in 1993, when the two were 3 years old. Attempting to find a connection, Kait’s doctors determined through genetic testing that Kait has LFS – Li Fraumeni Syndrome, an inherited familial predisposition to a wide range of certain, often rare, cancers. This is due to a mutation in a tumor suppressor gene known as TP53. The resulting P53 protein produced by the gene is damaged (or otherwise rendered malfunctioning), and is unable to help prevent malignant tumors from developing. Kimberly may have also had LFS.
After Kait’s first stretch of chemo, her tumor enlarged. She is now receiving more rigorous and aggressive chemotherapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Center in Middletown, NJ.
Our aim for this fundraiser is to show our love and care by providing support for Kait as she goes through this painful process. We are grateful for your help in achieving our goal, and for coming together to support Kait during this trying time.
Sincerely,
Liz Mirovich, Kathryn Lowry, and Paul Gale
Please feel free to reach out through our profile with any questions.
Fundraising team: Liz Mirovich, Kathryn Lowry, and Paul Gale (3)
Paul Gale
Organizer
New York, NY
Kaitlyn Petrillo
Beneficiary
Liz Mirovich
Team member
Kathryn Lowry
Team member