On that date, Amber had several grand mall seizures in the middle of the night.  After a call to 911 and several days in Intensive Care Unit at Longmont United Hospital, the doctors determined that Amber indeed had a “brain mass” that needed to be biopsied to determine what was going on inside Amber’s brain.  

The biopsy confirmed what the doctor had suspected.  Amber was diagnosed with an Oligodendroglioma Grade II Tumor in her Left Temporal Lobe. The tumor was very large and the doctor said that the tumor HAD to come out.  

On Wednesday, February 28, 2007 Amber underwent her second surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible. Amber had to remain awake during the second surgery, because the doctors were concerned about the possibility of her losing her speech, since the cancer was found in the part of her brain where her speech is contained. She talked and cried through a large part of her surgery.  The doctors worked to remove the largest part of the cancer, meaning that a large portion of Amber's brain had to be removed, as well. 

 

The tumor was biopsied and found to be benign.

 

What a lot of people don’t understand is about the difference between malignant and benign.  Benign means that the tumor is still diagnosed as cancer, it’s just a matter of whether the cancer spreads to other areas of your body via the bloodstream.  

 

Amber has to undergo chemotherapy for a full year.

 

One week of every month, Amber has to do her chemotherapy treatments to try and kill the remainder of her brain cancer. Because of the seisures, the operations and the chemotherapy treatments, Amber has been very, very sick and has missed a lot of work. She has been unable to drive a vehicle for the past year.  Amber is trying to put some sort of normalcy back into her life, but it has been a tremendous strain on her.  

 

Amber’s prognosis is:  

 

• The treatments will most likely be able to kill most of the cancer, but not all of it, so it could start growing back at any time.
• She will have to be monitored with continuous MRI’s every six months for the remainder of her life.

Amber was only 6 weeks from qualifying for insurance when this all happened, so she was, and still is without insurance, as no insurance will qualify her now.

 

The surgery, labs, medicine, chemotherapy, MRI’s, ambulance, doctor, hospital stays and all her other medical expenses have piled high, to an excess of over $300,000.  

Amber applied for Colorado Indigent Care from the State and was granted some minimal help, however her medical expenses continue to rise and rise.

 

Amber needs continued medical help and she also needs financial help to continue fighting her brain cancer. Amber has  a wonderful spirit and amazing attitude during her fight with cancer.  She really wants to be happy and have some sort of a normal life.  She touches so many people with her infectious smile and witty sense of humor. She lives for each and every day! 

 

Please join us in helping to raise

the much needed funds

to help Amber Smith

continue in her Fight Against Brain Cancer! 

 

Financial Contribution are being accepted NOW

to the

Amber M. Smith Benefit Fund

at

Home State Bank, Berthoud, CO 

 

Your support can make a tremendous difference

in the life of this Berthoud neighbor!