Melanie's Fight Against Cancer - Please Support!

My name is Karen "Rae" and I'm launching this fundraiser for my/our incredible friend, sister, instructor, mother, the list goes on...Melanie...

No C in Melanie. So let’s keep it that way!! Melanie…

M …Matriarch to Rosie, Graham, and an entire yoga community

E… Eager to build a beautiful life for all that surround her

L…Loving and willing to put others first

A…Adventurous…what stories she has!

N…Nest where her caring heart wraps around those in need

I…Inspiring to all those who have witnessed her motivation and spirit

E…Eagle…a woman of STRENGTH and POWER

There is no C in Melanie’s name, but she has recently been diagnosed with a very rare cancer called Thymoma. It’s a thymic cancer that has a different staging system than most cancers. Her cancer is classified as 3A and 3C. One means a non-malignant tumor. Four is thymic carcinoma. What makes Melanie’s tumor a 3 is its size and location. Let’s start from the beginning.

Back in early September, Melanie grabbed a COVID test on the way home thinking she had COVID again. It was negative, so she thought perhaps it was the flu and she passed out for the day. The following morning, she woke up and felt better, but fainted while feeding the cats. The doctor told her to retest. Melanie fell asleep for 15 hours and didn’t retest. The next day, Saturday, she woke up feeling great, did some yard work and took it easy. During a rest in the hammock, chest pains kicked in late that afternoon, so she finally drove herself to the ER.

An unidentified mass was discovered in Melanie’s chest pushing on her heart and lung. The cancer journey began. After a biopsy and visit with professionals from KU, Melanie was waiting for answers and very anxious to hear the plan of action.

Since there are so many differences to this cancer, the answers were hard to find at KU. Melanie has some amazing people in her world that were able to help her and have been able to hold her hand every step of this way. They had some connections at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN where one of the top 2 specialists of this type of cancer practices.

Melanie spent 4 days at the Mayo Clinic with an amazing team that is treating her as a case study. At just 50, she’s SO young to have this type of cancer. Melanie spent two hours having an MRI and they gave her multiple injections into her chest for further biopsy analysis. Thankfully, the cancer is the lesser of two evils, but it’s cancer. It’s a mass on her heart and lung, which is very hard to manage daily.

There’s a long, hard trip ahead for our dear Melanie. As a single mom raising two amazing children, Melanie puts forth having the strength and courage of a superhero, but she needs our love and support more than ever right now. It’s going to be a physically and emotionally hard road ahead for this beautifully spirited woman. It’s going to be extremely financially burdensome as well.

Melanie will have to come up with 3 months of living expenses while enduring treatment. That’s going to be close to $15K. Her medical expenses are expected to be approximately $15K as well. Travel and taxes will be close to $8K. All in all, Melanie is looking at close to $40K in expenses to fight for her life.

When someone needs to focus on their health and well-being, the last thing they need is financial stress. If you are able to find a way to support Melanie and her children during this battle, we would be ever so grateful. I can’t help but think this is the time for all the wonderful things she’s done for others to come around and love her back…for life.

Thank you all for considering donating to NO C in Melanie! Love you all.