The Rarest Malignant Cancer…. at 26?!!
Our brave, sweet Savvy is 1 in 7 million, literally! You would think that 3 heart surgeries would be plenty for one lifetime, or in her case, a quarter lifetime. But life had other plans. Since Sav was just 24 years old, she has braved the scary world of heart arrhythmias, slow heart rate, major heart surgeries, including 2 cardiac ablations, and the world of pacemakers, with her mostly aging comrades. We thought she was finally out of the woods 2 years later, but again, life had other plans.
On June 3, doctors found an ovarian mass the size of a large softball. Stanford’s finest performed emergency surgery to remove the mass, and it turns out… it is the rarest form of ovarian cancer (about 1 in 7 million Americans (!) are diagnosed with small cell carcinoma of the ovary per year). This highly malignant “softball” is the meanest of enemies — it grows fast. It’s brutal. And it especially targets young women.
Sav will now begin one of the most aggressive inpatient chemotherapy regimens that exists — often referred to as “chemo on steroids.” It’s not just intense; it’s toxic, long, and life-altering. She’ll be hospitalized for days at a time with each round. Her immune system will be wiped out. She’ll lose her hair, her strength, and her independence — but never her fight.
Young, hopeful, beautiful. Savvy and Soren got married three years ago in May. They were waiting for the right time to start a family…
Now, in the operating room, waiting to extract the malignant thing, Sav realized she had a very short bucket list: Beat cancer, have a baby, and go to Disneyland.
That’s where you come in. Sav is staring at big medical bills and has a very short window to retrieve and store her eggs.
The Need: Soren and Sav need $100,000.00. It’s a big number, but with many, it’s doable.
Here’s exactly where your donation will go:
One Round of IVF Fertility Treatment – $30,000.00This is $20,000.00 for egg retrieval, $1,500 x 4 for annual egg storage, medications, and other associated medical bills.
Medical Deductibles & Admin Costs – $28,000.00This covers annual deductibles (for this year and next) to cover rounds of medical bills before insurance kicks in (before, during, and after chemo).
Missed Income & Household Survival for 1 year – $40,000.00She’ll have to miss her beloved work as a copywriter, and Soren, an EMT, will be missing as much work as he needs to support Sav. This covers rent, utilities, groceries, and other essentials while she/they take time off to recover, support, and fight for her life.
Daily Expenses & …Wigs? – $10,000.00This covers expenses for travel (Soren will essentially relocate to Stanford), cleaning supplies during chemotherapy (she’ll need to be extra cautious to sanitize their place), food, and a new hairdo or two.
Emergency & Existing Medical Costs – $15,000.00Cancer is unpredictable and expensive. This fund will help cover unexpected expenses, such as emergency room visits, infections, and last-minute changes to her treatment plan. It will also help relieve the burden of existing medical bills from her previous heart surgeries, which she’s still paying off. Savvy is fighting one of the hardest battles of her life — the last thing she should be worrying about is a growing stack of medical debt.
And yes… Disneyland – $4,000.00Remember that bucket list? Beat cancer. Have a baby. Go to Disneyland. Let’s help her do all three.
Every donation, even $5, helps. Every share helps. Every prayer needed.
Sav is ready to fight for her life, and we are ready to stand with her.
With gratitude,
Team Savannah
