May 2006 www.thevaleriefund.org
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A Day in the LifeMeet Heather.
Hi, my name is Heather Brooke Hodnicky. I am 20 years old and when I was 19, I was diagnosed with dysgerminoa, a rare cancerous tumor of the ovary that is predominant in teenage girls. My initial symptoms were vague, mainly stomach aches. Mostly, I wasn't aware of anything being wrong with my body. After lots of doctors' visits, I was finally diagnosed. The first oncologist we visited was creepy and made Mom and I very uncomfortable. So Mom did some research on the internet and asked around and that's how we found The Valerie Fund Center at The Children's Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center. When we visited the Center, we instantly felt as ease. You can just feel the love they have for their patients and you know you're in the right place. The first step in my treatment was surgery to remove the football sized tumor, followed by chemotherapy treatments. Each treatment took one complete week in the hospital because I had treatments everyday. Afterwards it took about a week of recovery time and finally I had a "good" week before starting the cycle again. Unfortunately I had to withdraw from school during my chemo because I couldn't keep up with all of the work, but I am back now. Yea!!! I was in the hospital A LONG TIME!!! If you add all the treatments, doctor visits and medical tests it adds up to a lot of hours, too many to count. At one point I was there almost everyday. At this point, my treatment is done mostly as an outpatient: routine tests and check-ups, blood tests and making sure I take my medicine correctly. Susan Dulczak means the world to me and my family. She was the first person Mom talked to when she contacted TVF. Instantly she calmed my Mom down and put her at ease. After my first visit with the scary oncologist I was wary of anyone else. I asked Mom why she thought this would be a good place to go and she said that the first person she talked to had the same name as her sister and it was an omen. I though that was the weirdest reason to put your faith in someone and trust them with your life, but I knew it wasn't really because of the name, it was because of the way she made my Mom feel. Susan is a wonderful person and can put a smile on anyone's face. She is funny, bubbly and full of energy. I remember one time I was very upset about losing all my hair. She walked into the waiting room wearing a long blonde wig and was singing a Sonny and Cher song. It was the funniest thing and everyone was laughing so hard they were crying. She is never in a bad mood and is always happy to see me. She greets everyone with a hug and a smile on her face. To me and my family, The Valerie Fund means life, love and happiness ... It couldn't be said any better ... I am thankful for my Mom; without her I don't know where I would be right now. She is such a strong person with the biggest heart of anyone I know. She is a single parent and she quit her job while I was sick just to take the best possible care of me. She is my world and I thank God for her everyday. I am thankful she found such a wonderful place for me to receive my treatments. This experience has brought my Mom and I much closer and I value her so much more. She is the best! I Love You Mom!! |
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Get a Valerie Fund tie designed by Heather Hodnicky |
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