Stand with Tonya in Her Cancer Journey

My name is Krystyna Karstedt. About seven years ago, I met a woman in our children’s pick up line at Preschool at Grover L Priess Primary School in Eden, NY. She was blunt, funny, strong willed, tough as nails but I soon quickly started to see the qualities that really made this woman wonderful: empathetic, caring, loyal as all hell and THE best mom to her two young children, Rhilyn and Mason.

Those same qualities led her on a path to becoming the Vice President of Eden Central School’s PTA, where she consistently gives her time, money, efforts and love back into our children’s hands through our communities’ four schools.

This past summer, Tonya found a small sore on her gum. After numerous types of doctors visits and many antibiotics and steroids, the sore was in fact getting worse. She finally went to the right doctor who biopsied the spot and after months of trying to find answers, in late October, she was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, a form of jaw and mouth cancer, much like Buffalo Bills Quarterback, Jim Kelly.

Medical plans were quickly put in place including a removal of her cancer by removing her jaw and replacing it with a piece of her Fibula from her leg. The surgery will last 14 hours, with four different surgeons, which will include needing a trach, feeding G tube all while being in an induced coma. She will then need to be in the ICU for at least 10 days. After her stint at Roswell Cancer Institute, she will need PT, OT, radiation, dental procedures to provide her with new teeth and possibly chemotherapy. This will all take place starting Monday, January 27th.

Her mother, Betty, will be staying with her family, Russell, Rhilyn and Mason, while she battles this horrible disease but the family is on one income and Russel will be taking off for an unknown amount of time while she goes through this extensive battle.

Tonya has a wonderful family. She has numerous friends and family back home in Willard, OH and its surrounding areas. She has made a real name for herself here in Eden, NY. And she has a really great core group of women (both near and far) who are her “people” and have, are and will be every step of the way, but she needs our help.

Please consider donating to her, as she has given back soo much to her people and her community. And please keep her in yours prayers while there are soo many unknowns.

This cancer has no match for this “blunt, funny, strong willed, tough as nails” chick. We love you, T. We’ve got this.