Fulfill Desmina's Bucket List
Donation protected
On April 20, 2015, Desmina Hoang Davis (or Dez) was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma is a rare, childhood cancer that develops from nerve cells (neuroblasts). Typically, this is a cancer found in children under five; however, Dez was already 10 when she was diagnosed.
The symptoms and progression of Neuroblastoma are variable, and the battle is long. Dez has undergone multiple surgeries, MBIG radiation, chemotherapy, proton radiation, bone-marrow transplants, stem cell infusions, and a variety of other procedures and therapies to eradicate her cancer.
After an emotional journey, on October 23, 2018, Dez's family received news that the cancer had spread significantly. They were told there are no further treatments available for her. Dez will receive palliative care to keep her comfortable, and will take a medication that may slow the tumor growth temporarily. Desmina's family and friends are still hoping and praying for a miracle, but her diagnosis is now terminal.
Dez's mom told me, "In a way, we have been given a gift. A gift of love. A gift of hope. A gift of time. A gift of extra moments to show her how much we love her."
To this end, we are fundraising to make Dez's gift of time as rich as it possibly can be. Her parents are compiling a "bucket list." This list is a lifetime's worth of wishes and plans and adventures, a way to make meaning and memories for Dez and her family. (But how do you make a bucket list for a 14-year-old girl?)
Won't you help Dez and her family check off some of the things on her bucket list? The family needs your financial support to cover the costs of fulfilling Dez's final plans. $10, $50, $100, $1000 - Every penny will go toward filling Dez's days with sunshine and laughter and love. Lots of love.
Dez's mom often quotes song lyrics in her letters. In her letter explaining Dez's recent diagnosis and her hope that these days would be well spent, she quoted Meghan Trainor:
So I'm gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you.
And I'm gonna hold you like I'm saying goodbye.
Wherever we're standing,
I won't take you for granted
'Cause we'll never know when,
When we'll run out of time.
The symptoms and progression of Neuroblastoma are variable, and the battle is long. Dez has undergone multiple surgeries, MBIG radiation, chemotherapy, proton radiation, bone-marrow transplants, stem cell infusions, and a variety of other procedures and therapies to eradicate her cancer.
After an emotional journey, on October 23, 2018, Dez's family received news that the cancer had spread significantly. They were told there are no further treatments available for her. Dez will receive palliative care to keep her comfortable, and will take a medication that may slow the tumor growth temporarily. Desmina's family and friends are still hoping and praying for a miracle, but her diagnosis is now terminal.
Dez's mom told me, "In a way, we have been given a gift. A gift of love. A gift of hope. A gift of time. A gift of extra moments to show her how much we love her."
To this end, we are fundraising to make Dez's gift of time as rich as it possibly can be. Her parents are compiling a "bucket list." This list is a lifetime's worth of wishes and plans and adventures, a way to make meaning and memories for Dez and her family. (But how do you make a bucket list for a 14-year-old girl?)
Won't you help Dez and her family check off some of the things on her bucket list? The family needs your financial support to cover the costs of fulfilling Dez's final plans. $10, $50, $100, $1000 - Every penny will go toward filling Dez's days with sunshine and laughter and love. Lots of love.
Dez's mom often quotes song lyrics in her letters. In her letter explaining Dez's recent diagnosis and her hope that these days would be well spent, she quoted Meghan Trainor:
So I'm gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you.
And I'm gonna hold you like I'm saying goodbye.
Wherever we're standing,
I won't take you for granted
'Cause we'll never know when,
When we'll run out of time.
Fundraising team (3)
Gina Varrichio
Organizer
Ithaca, NY
Fred H-Davis
Beneficiary
Cynthia Hoang
Team member