Honoring Kaitlyn’s Memory and Heroic Battle

My name is Danielle and I am raising funds for one of my oldest childhood friends, Kaitlyn Castonguay (Scribner). Kaitlyn is a 32 year old mom of three beautiful young children- Elliot and Liam who are twins, and Harper. She and her husband, Riley, work so hard to give their children a beautiful life together in Central Maine. I have known Kaitlyn since middle school. She is always the first person to be there for anyone when they need it- she would literally give anyone her last dollar.

Kaitlyn has been like a sister to me for a long time. States and thousands of miles may separate us physically. Even though we don’t see each other everyday like we used to in our crazy, younger days, we remain connected. Connected emotionally, spiritually, and in heart.

Kaitlyn’s mom (Ann) and my mom were very close friends when my mom was alive. My mom confided in Ann and they spent a lot of time together- just like Kait and I. When my mom died, Ann and Kaitlyn were among the first people I told because they came to mind immediately. My mom had so much love for them. Despite the pain Ann was going through, she helped me and comforted me during my time of need in losing my mom. She and Kaitlyn both dropped everything to support and love me and my family during the hardest time of our lives.

Kait recently started having pain in her abdomen. One night, it became so severe that her mom took her to the emergency room in Bangor. The hospital she went to was not equipped to investigate the pain, so she was transferred to the larger facility in Bangor. Once there, doctors performed multiple tests including MRI, ultrasound, and blood work to determine the cause of her pain. Immediately upon seeing the images, doctors knew something wasn’t right. Kaitlyn was found to have a large, 10 cm mass within her uterus causing bleeding and irritation. The doctors immediately referred Kait to a specialist and mentioned that this would need to be tested for cancer.

Due to the concern for a malignant tumor or mass, Kaitlyn was seen by the cancer specialist within several days of her emergency room visit. The specialist was very, very concerned and scheduled a robotic biopsy.

While waiting for her appointment with the specialist and for her surgery, Kaitlyn continued to put her family and kiddos first. She kept on playing and going on outings with her family, and even continued to go to work during this time. Even though inside, she was absolutely terrified, she continued to put her children before herself and her feelings. I cannot imagine the strength this took. I am so in awe of this woman and how she always seems to persevere through all the challenges life seems to throw at her.

Kaitlyn had her procedure on August 14. The doctor confirmed our worst fears that the mass is in fact cancer. Due to extremely fast growth of the tumor and severe bleeding complications, she required an emergent open surgery at the time of the robotic procedure. Kaitlyn underwent a full hysterectomy and had some complications including massive blood loss during surgery. It is confirmed that the mass is cancerous, but we are waiting on pathology to determine the stage and exact type. The doctor did say that this usually takes about 10 days from the day of surgery. Kait is, of course, devastated. She is going through the loss of her ability to have children and hormonal changes associated with the hysterectomy, the shock of being told she has cancer, and adjusting after major surgery.

Kaitlyn has a follow up scheduled next week with her specialist to determine next steps. This likely will include chemotherapy and other treatments depending on what the pathology report reveals. She will be traveling to Scarborough and Portland for her appointments (2 hours away from where they live).

Kaitlyn will of course be out of work for some time so that she can go through treatment. She works at Quirk Chevrolet right now, and unfortunately she will not be able to work for several months after surgery and will require more time off depending on her treatment plan. I had to talk to her at length to even agree to allow me to set up a fundraiser for her and her family during this time. She (hesitantly) agreed, as she knows she will need financial help during her treatment. Between being out of work, traveling 2 hours away for appointments and follow ups, travel expenses, gas, food, care for the children while her and Riley attend appointments, there will be a huge need for financial help during this time.

This girl is a strong woman. I know she and her family will get through this. But in the meantime, the last thing they need to be concerned about is her medical bills and other household expenses that occur. I really want Kaitlyn to be able to focus on her health, getting better, and spending time with her family. I refuse to let financial worries hinder Kaitlyn’s fight for her life or deprive her and her family of precious time together. While we cannot erase Kait’s pain, we can ease the financial burden and share support to her and her family during this journey.