
Tumor Trouble!
Donation protected
My name is Kelsey Gates and I'm 31 years old. I have a wonderful husband, Dustin, and an amazing daughter named Brailynn who is 5 years old. As lucky as I am to have them, I've been fighting the hardest battle of my life for the past 5 years. Six weeks after I had my daughter I was diagnosed with a brain tumor and had to have emergency surgery to have it removed. Since it was on my brain stem the doctor was not able to remove ALL of the tumor. Due to the massive amount of steroids I had to take to control the brain swelling, I ended up getting Avascular Necrosis and needing a left hip and shoulder replacement.
Over the past 5 years I have undergone 17 craniotomies in order to implant 2 shunts in my head as well as remove the tumor. After my last craniotomy in July, I was diagnosed with 2 blood clots in my lungs. Due to the size of one of the blood clots I am now in right sided heart failure as well. I'm currently on oxygen and require a walker to help me get around and to conserve my energy because my heart rate rises quickly when I exert myself.
I have worked as a 2nd grade teacher for the past 8 years, even while going through these issues. I've tried my best to recover and go back to work in order to keep my health insurance and pay medical bills. However, with these latest issues and the numerous doctors appointments I have, I am unable to return to work this school year. Your donations would be greatly appreciated to help my family and I pay our bills and to help pay for our medical insurance while I am unable to work. My husband is working, but with an increasing number of medical bills on top of regular monthly bills, we need both of our salaries to survive. If you can donate any amount to help my family we would greatly appreciate it. Thank You!



Over the past 5 years I have undergone 17 craniotomies in order to implant 2 shunts in my head as well as remove the tumor. After my last craniotomy in July, I was diagnosed with 2 blood clots in my lungs. Due to the size of one of the blood clots I am now in right sided heart failure as well. I'm currently on oxygen and require a walker to help me get around and to conserve my energy because my heart rate rises quickly when I exert myself.
I have worked as a 2nd grade teacher for the past 8 years, even while going through these issues. I've tried my best to recover and go back to work in order to keep my health insurance and pay medical bills. However, with these latest issues and the numerous doctors appointments I have, I am unable to return to work this school year. Your donations would be greatly appreciated to help my family and I pay our bills and to help pay for our medical insurance while I am unable to work. My husband is working, but with an increasing number of medical bills on top of regular monthly bills, we need both of our salaries to survive. If you can donate any amount to help my family we would greatly appreciate it. Thank You!




Organizer
Kelsey Gates
Organizer
Goose Creek, SC