Logan’s road to Remission...

Elizabeth Bader is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Nicole Valencia.

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My beautiful friend Nicole and her children: Page (14) and Logan (16).

Behind every scar there is an untold story of survival…

I first met my friend Nicole while working alongside her as a nurse in labor and delivery. As the years went by, we got to know each other and each other’s families. She has become one of my best and closest friends. We’ve been there for each other through thick and thin and now she needs more help than I can give her. Her son is sick, very sick, and that’s why I’m writing this today.

Please read below:

In October 2016, Nicole’s Mom passed at the young age of 61 of uterine and kidney cancer. At her Moms funeral she quoted Martin Luther King Jr. saying, “The quality not the longevity of one’s life is what’s important. It’s not about living long, it’s about living well.” Nicole quoted this knowing that her own battle with cancer was the next chapter of her life.

At a routine eye exam, a red spot was seen on her right eye that was biopsied the day her Mother took her last breath. The results came back that she herself had cancer; the final pathology report called it B-cell Follicular Lymphoma. It was classified as Stage 2 because it was in both eyes. She had to be put on disability from December 2016 thru March 2017, as was her husband because of the nature of her treatment which included radiation directly to both eyeballs.
Thankfully once the radiation was completed, she returned to work. She has received a clean bill of health thus far from both the Hematologist and Ocular Oncologist that she visits every 3 months for the next few years.

Just when she thought she could breathe a little easier she received the news that her 16-year-old son, Logan, was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma. Ewing Sarcoma is a cancer of the bones and tissues. Best case scenario, it’s localized and treatable with remission as an end result but the chemotherapy treatment is 40+ weeks with possible radiation. Logan starts treatments on June 10th, 2019 at 10am and is due to be finished sometime in March 2020 barring no complications.
Logan will be receiving various combinations of intense chemotherapy and will unfortunately feel the full effects of his treatment. He will be hospitalized for most of his treatments. Because of this he will have to be homeschooled with the option to be a part of the Reed High School Band which is a program he has been a part of for the last year. Music is one of Logan’s passions. He plays 5 low brass musical instruments. He earned the Directors award for leadership for his Sophomore year and was chosen to be section leader for next year. He’s intelligent, funny and very knowledgeable about all things related to history.
At the end of his therapy he was told that infertility will be an issue and he responded with, “that’s fine, I have always wanted to adopt and give a child who needs it a good home.“ Logan is a remarkable young man with his whole life ahead of him.

While Nicole is still working as a labor nurse and has good insurance the bills have piled up from her cancer treatments and follow-up care, and now are starting to pile up from Logan’s medical needs. At some point Nicole will have to take medical leave to be with her son and care for her family through this trying time, and that’s why she so desperately needs your help.

C.S. Lewis writes,” It’s not the load that weighs you down, it’s the way you carry it.” I have watched her carry the load through her mother’s illness and death, her own battle with cancer, now through her son’s cancer diagnosis, and she has done it all with grace, strength and a positive outlook.

When I asked her how she was handling all of this she told me that she chooses to be grateful and focus on the blessings versus choosing to be angry for the trial. Life isn’t guaranteed and her prayer is that she can provide hope for just one person through this journey.

Any amount that you can bless this family with is appreciated and will be used to pay the mounting medical expenses for Logan’s treatment and Nicole’s follow-up care. If you can’t donate, please share Nicole’s and Logan’s story of hope. We are trying to reach as many people as possible. I trust that this story has touched your life and heart as much as it has touched mine. Please donate to this beautiful family at this very challenging time.

~Thank you,
Elizabeth Bader