Friends plan rally to fund teen's cancer treatment
MECHANICVILLE - At the age of 19, Linda Wells has already undergone three major operations and three sessions of chemotherapy since she was diagnosed with a rare type of stomach cancer three years ago.
"Right after her road test to get a driver's license, she was officially diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma," said Mark Wells, Linda's father. "She hasn't been able to drive since then."Linda has been treated at the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, Albany Medical Center Hospital and a chemotherapy center in Latham, but there is no known cure for her rare disease and the efforts, thus far, have been futile."Linda has been through so much," said Annie Wells, Linda's mother. "It is hard for her to get through each day. The chemotherapy was brutal on her body and makes her deathly sick."Linda, who had ambitions in high school of becoming a pilot, spends most of her days "hanging out with friends," she said."I have been putting off going to college because of the disease. I am taking this one day at a time."The disease is a stomach-lining cancer which has caused several tumors to grow in Linda's body. The family is hoping to find treatments in Nevada that will help fight the cancer. "After my last session of chemo, I started looking for other types of treatment," said Linda. "I found an all-natural treatment center in Nevada, and I have done a lot of research about the center. The methods there seem totally different from the types of treatment I have had so far. I am very hopeful. But I have no choice but to be optimistic."Linda would be under the care of Dr. James Forsythe of the Cancer Screening and Treatment Center in Reno for about a month. These treatments, which would cost about $2,000 each week, are experimental and will not be covered by the family's medical insurance. Local efforts have begun to help the Wells family.The Leonardo da Vinci Lodge, located at 320 Broadway, Rensselaer, has scheduled a fund-raiser for Friday to help the family with the costs of the new treatments. The lodge is an organization for the community, explained Don Butler, the lodge's vice president."The family has quite a predicament, and we would like to help them in any way we can," he said.The fund-raiser will include a 50/50 raffle, door prizes, catered food and three local bands. Everything has been donated, so the event will yield 100 percent profit, said Butler. "The response to help this family has been overwhelming," he continued. "We are lucky to have such a generous community."Organizers request a $10 donation for each adult. They are already expecting about 200 people to attend the event.Linda is planning to begin her treatment in Nevada at the end of the month. She will be at the facility by herself. The family is expecting to pay about $10,000 for the experimental treatments."We have to try something," Linda's father said. "The disease is not getting any better by itself."
"Right after her road test to get a driver's license, she was officially diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma," said Mark Wells, Linda's father. "She hasn't been able to drive since then."Linda has been treated at the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, Albany Medical Center Hospital and a chemotherapy center in Latham, but there is no known cure for her rare disease and the efforts, thus far, have been futile."Linda has been through so much," said Annie Wells, Linda's mother. "It is hard for her to get through each day. The chemotherapy was brutal on her body and makes her deathly sick."Linda, who had ambitions in high school of becoming a pilot, spends most of her days "hanging out with friends," she said."I have been putting off going to college because of the disease. I am taking this one day at a time."The disease is a stomach-lining cancer which has caused several tumors to grow in Linda's body. The family is hoping to find treatments in Nevada that will help fight the cancer. "After my last session of chemo, I started looking for other types of treatment," said Linda. "I found an all-natural treatment center in Nevada, and I have done a lot of research about the center. The methods there seem totally different from the types of treatment I have had so far. I am very hopeful. But I have no choice but to be optimistic."Linda would be under the care of Dr. James Forsythe of the Cancer Screening and Treatment Center in Reno for about a month. These treatments, which would cost about $2,000 each week, are experimental and will not be covered by the family's medical insurance. Local efforts have begun to help the Wells family.The Leonardo da Vinci Lodge, located at 320 Broadway, Rensselaer, has scheduled a fund-raiser for Friday to help the family with the costs of the new treatments. The lodge is an organization for the community, explained Don Butler, the lodge's vice president."The family has quite a predicament, and we would like to help them in any way we can," he said.The fund-raiser will include a 50/50 raffle, door prizes, catered food and three local bands. Everything has been donated, so the event will yield 100 percent profit, said Butler. "The response to help this family has been overwhelming," he continued. "We are lucky to have such a generous community."Organizers request a $10 donation for each adult. They are already expecting about 200 people to attend the event.Linda is planning to begin her treatment in Nevada at the end of the month. She will be at the facility by herself. The family is expecting to pay about $10,000 for the experimental treatments."We have to try something," Linda's father said. "The disease is not getting any better by itself."
posted by Chris Placitella | 9:09 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home