Support Jayden and Marina's Courage
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We are reaching out with the hopes of helping our longtime friend Marina Bradley. Marina is a single mother of two, seven year old Jayden, and his little brother Easton is four. Marina is a wonderful mom and would give her life for these boys. She works hard to provide for her sons and yet is still available to give them her love, lots of hugs, and undivided attention. These three are just inseparable, the three musketeers.
Life has a way of handing the people that you love unexpected challenges when they least expect it. On January 11th 2019, one of those challenges presented itself to this very sweet family of three. Marina received a call from the school nurse at Jayden's school. He had fallen in the school cafeteria and hit his head. Marina quickly made her way to the school and promptly took Jayden to the local hospital. Upon arriving at the ER, doctors diagnosed Jayden with a concussion. Because this was a head injury on a small child, they encouraged Marina to consent to a CAT Scan. Marina quickly agreed that it would be better to be safe than sorry and they moved forward with the test.
A short time later a group of doctors met with Marina in a consultation room and shared with her news that would change the life of her family for a very long time to come. You see, what the CAT Scan revealed and the doctors now had to share with this young single mother of two was that Jayden had what looked like a tumor at the base of his brain and they felt that he should be transported immediately to Akron Children's Hospital. Arrangements were made for him to be taken by ambulance.
This would be a very fearful and question filled two hour ride from her home town in WV to the Children's hospital in Akron OH. I cannot imagine the bravery a young mother can find when her child is suffering. Once they arrived at the hospital, a team of doctors did a complete work up on Jayden and told Marina that the image on the CAT Scan was not clear. They felt the best option would be to sedate Jayden and do an MRI. All Marina could do was wait for confirmation of what she was already fearing. So around 8 PM on Friday night, they sedated Jayden and did the MRI, which confirmed that there was in fact a tumor that would need to be removed immediately.
They kept Jayden sedated and at 7 AM the next morning the neurosurgeon came in and discussed the details of the surgery with Marina and her family. It would be a very dangerous and long surgery. There was a possibility of brain damage and paralysis, but the surgeon felt this was the only course of action to take. Bravely, fearful, and full of hope, Marina agreed and the surgery was performed. After a long nine hours, Marina and the rest of Jayden's family were told that the surgery was over and the tumor was successfully removed. However, the doctors were able to confirm that the tumor was in fact malignant, they just were not sure what type of cancer cells were there. Marina is at this moment waiting on the results of a biopsy to determine what type of cancer Jayden has so the doctors know how to proceed in treating it. On Wednesday he will have a spinal tap done to determine if the cancer cells entered his spinal cord.
The story I just told were the events in my dear friend's life since Friday afternoon, the first twenty four hours of a long and enduring journey ahead. I have known Marina since she was much younger than Jayden is now and she has always held a very special place in my heart. She works hard, raises her boys right, and maintains a clear heart and an unmatched resolve in what she will do for her sons. I know her heart and she will dedicate everything you would expect from a mother to save her child. She will be by his side and support him with love, attention, and anything it takes to facilitate Jayden's recovery. He will become her focus, her occupation, her time, effort, and energy. When I spoke to her this morning, it was clear that she knew the challenge in front of them and it was also clear that she was up for it.
This is why we are inspired to start this fund raiser for her. She cannot do this alone. Her job is to take care of Jayden and our job as her family and friends is to take care of her. There will be expenses to keep the life of her family intact during this difficult time. There will be multi hour trips overnight to and from the hospital for possibly weeks on end. There will be lost wages from being unable to work regularly. Medical bills and household expenses. These are the things that I am counting on the kindness in your hearts to help her with. Please give what you can, any gesture large or small will be appreciated. If you cannot give now, we understand. Please think of Marina and her boys when you can. If you have read the story and only have a kind thought, inspiring word, or a prayer to give; those will certainly be appreciated as well. We believe in the power of kindness and positive energy and we will be happy to have all that we can get. Thank you for taking the time to read about Jayden, Marina, and Easton.
Life has a way of handing the people that you love unexpected challenges when they least expect it. On January 11th 2019, one of those challenges presented itself to this very sweet family of three. Marina received a call from the school nurse at Jayden's school. He had fallen in the school cafeteria and hit his head. Marina quickly made her way to the school and promptly took Jayden to the local hospital. Upon arriving at the ER, doctors diagnosed Jayden with a concussion. Because this was a head injury on a small child, they encouraged Marina to consent to a CAT Scan. Marina quickly agreed that it would be better to be safe than sorry and they moved forward with the test.
A short time later a group of doctors met with Marina in a consultation room and shared with her news that would change the life of her family for a very long time to come. You see, what the CAT Scan revealed and the doctors now had to share with this young single mother of two was that Jayden had what looked like a tumor at the base of his brain and they felt that he should be transported immediately to Akron Children's Hospital. Arrangements were made for him to be taken by ambulance.
This would be a very fearful and question filled two hour ride from her home town in WV to the Children's hospital in Akron OH. I cannot imagine the bravery a young mother can find when her child is suffering. Once they arrived at the hospital, a team of doctors did a complete work up on Jayden and told Marina that the image on the CAT Scan was not clear. They felt the best option would be to sedate Jayden and do an MRI. All Marina could do was wait for confirmation of what she was already fearing. So around 8 PM on Friday night, they sedated Jayden and did the MRI, which confirmed that there was in fact a tumor that would need to be removed immediately.
They kept Jayden sedated and at 7 AM the next morning the neurosurgeon came in and discussed the details of the surgery with Marina and her family. It would be a very dangerous and long surgery. There was a possibility of brain damage and paralysis, but the surgeon felt this was the only course of action to take. Bravely, fearful, and full of hope, Marina agreed and the surgery was performed. After a long nine hours, Marina and the rest of Jayden's family were told that the surgery was over and the tumor was successfully removed. However, the doctors were able to confirm that the tumor was in fact malignant, they just were not sure what type of cancer cells were there. Marina is at this moment waiting on the results of a biopsy to determine what type of cancer Jayden has so the doctors know how to proceed in treating it. On Wednesday he will have a spinal tap done to determine if the cancer cells entered his spinal cord.
The story I just told were the events in my dear friend's life since Friday afternoon, the first twenty four hours of a long and enduring journey ahead. I have known Marina since she was much younger than Jayden is now and she has always held a very special place in my heart. She works hard, raises her boys right, and maintains a clear heart and an unmatched resolve in what she will do for her sons. I know her heart and she will dedicate everything you would expect from a mother to save her child. She will be by his side and support him with love, attention, and anything it takes to facilitate Jayden's recovery. He will become her focus, her occupation, her time, effort, and energy. When I spoke to her this morning, it was clear that she knew the challenge in front of them and it was also clear that she was up for it.
This is why we are inspired to start this fund raiser for her. She cannot do this alone. Her job is to take care of Jayden and our job as her family and friends is to take care of her. There will be expenses to keep the life of her family intact during this difficult time. There will be multi hour trips overnight to and from the hospital for possibly weeks on end. There will be lost wages from being unable to work regularly. Medical bills and household expenses. These are the things that I am counting on the kindness in your hearts to help her with. Please give what you can, any gesture large or small will be appreciated. If you cannot give now, we understand. Please think of Marina and her boys when you can. If you have read the story and only have a kind thought, inspiring word, or a prayer to give; those will certainly be appreciated as well. We believe in the power of kindness and positive energy and we will be happy to have all that we can get. Thank you for taking the time to read about Jayden, Marina, and Easton.
Fundraising team: Team Jayden (2)
Ray N Tracy Sacripanti
Organizer
Weirton, WV
Marina Bradley
Beneficiary
Julia Castellucci
Team member