Support Tracey’s Medical Costs, Rehab and Recovery

Hello,

We are Tracey's friends, a network of people who span her amazing career as a ballet dancer in NYC, to a Pilates Instructor at Nike WHQ, to being students at Katona Pilates, her own small business in Beaverton OR.

For those of you who may not know the story of why we are setting up this fundraiser for Tracey, here is the short version. For the past couple of years, Tracey has been experiencing back pain and other issues/symptoms, while at the same time working hard to keep her business open during covid. She continued to seek answers from her doctors, after multiple misdiagnoses, on December 11th Tracey had a MRI that gave her the answer to what was causing her pain these last few years. A 9cm tumor had grown in her spine between the L1 and L3 vertebrae. As her pain continued she was taken to the emergency room at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU Hospital) on Tuesday, December 27th. After multiple tests, she was admitted and surgery was scheduled for Friday, December 30th. After a 12-hour surgery, she was brought back to the ICU where we started to learn about the severity of the tumor. The Surgeon was able to get about 70% of the tumor until it became too dangerous to continue due to the risk of paralysis.. Tracey is recovering slowly as this was a major surgery and has a long path ahead with Physical and Occupational Therapy (getting full mobility and strength back in her legs) as well as Radiation Therapy to remove the remaining tumor. The plan will be to eliminate the remaining tumor with radiation in the coming weeks and or months.

Now if you know Tracey at all, this is a woman who was getting terrifying news about her health and mobility, went through MAJOR surgery, and yet she is continually focused on making sure her students/clients are taken care of as best she can, to keep her studio open and functioning so she has something to come back to. If this is your expertise and you can help at the studio please let us know. She has a fantastic network of people who have stepped in already to help, but she will need continued support.

Tracey needs you and your financial support. This fiercely strong independent woman needs our help so she can focus on getting better. Hospital bills have already started coming in. Tracey will be in the hospital until the middle of next week, then a couple of weeks of physical therapy before being able to go home.

The funds we raise will be used in the 3 aspects of Tracey's life.

1. Medical costs: to cover what insurance doesn't, as well as transportation and lodging as needed for radiation & physical therapy.

2. Home costs: food, utilities, rent. so she can focus on recovery.

3. Business costs: rent, utilities & insurance for her studio to remain open until she can be back full time.