Monetary Help

[CT_Michele]

So I am not the type of person to ever go looking or asking for people to help, but I have a friend who is in great need.

She is one of my partner teachers at the school work for. (I am the math teacher, she is the language arts teacher, we both teach the same 130 students). When I started my job this year, she was just amazing. She sent me an email before my first day with a picture so I would know who to look for and wouldn't feel awkward or out of place. I found out that this was her first year back to school after a long and miserable battle with breast cancer. She was now cancer free.

I also found out that b/c she would have to go through chemo, her and her husband decided to do a round of IVF since her eggs would likely be gone after treatment. They want nothing more than to have children, it is their dream. She was able to freeze 7 embryos. She needed to wait a certain amount of time after being cancer free to explore actually using the embryos (either herself or through surrogacy) and that time was coming around December. We really made a bond having so much in common. She had lost of questions regarding IVF and embryos, which I was happy to answer for her.

Well, bad news struck. She started feeling ill and sure enough, her cancer had returned. The prognosis is not good, but she is a fighter and doing everything she can to beat this again. Her husband and her have discussed the children issue, and regardless of what happens, they want children more than anything.

They have started looking into surrogacy for their embryos as she goes through radiation and chemo again. Of course they are finding out it is super expensive and they have exhausted almost everything they have on medical expenses and traveling between CT and Boston for treatments. My school and coworkers have done and are still doing many fundraisers to help them with their expenses.

Trust me when I tell you that this girl is one of the most unbelievably amazing people I have ever met. Her strength, courage and determination inspires me everyday. Her love for children as a teacher (and hopefully as a parent someday) shine through in all that she does. I miss her at work everyday. She was the one person I could count on for being a positive light. I want nothing more than for her to beat this, and be back at school next year with a baby on the way!

One of my coworkers has started a fundraiser through an application on facebook powered by paypal. I am hoping there might be a few people who would like to help, even $5. If not, it is completely ok and I thank you for taking the time to read this. I just know that the IVF community is such a kind and caring community and I figured it doesn't hurt to ask. You can donate anonymously, leave your name, or even leave something like IVF friends, or friend of CT_Michele. Thank you so much! http://bit.ly/idIruw