Author: integritivity

Liz Battaglia has stage four metastatic breast cancer that is also in the spine and liver. The cancer had destroyed her spine so she immediately had surgery and three rods put in her back.  Liz is a special education director and principal of an integrated preschool for Madison Public Schools.

Here is her story: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02YSY12nAKBqssZKxBs4kcXJ8fszyBkf26o7KfqiRbuQH5pUrzLFxCBnvtoAn8gTqWl&id=290024007795961

Liz’s husband of 17 years changed his job from teaching to sales so he could make more money to support when Liz would be too sick to work. In October, Liz received the shocking phone call that her husband died at work of a heart attack.

Liz’s children are 11 and 9 years old and make her food when she has trouble getting out of bed.  Now they also are dealing with the loss of their father. https://www.mullinsfh.com/obituary/WilliamBilly-Battaglia

Her goal now is to build memories and she is working with Pallative Care to make plans for the children. She made a wish for a trip to Disney World to make memories with the kids while she is still able to enjoy it.   It would be especially fitting, since her daughter’s name is Stella.

Stella’s Wish Foundation is sending the younger Stella, her brother and her mom Liz to Walt Disney World!

 

Roy Ladd found out he has stage 4 colon cancer a year ago and it has been really rough on his family. He has four children from ages 5 to 11 years old. The cancer has now also spread to his lungs and he had emergency surgery last month. His wife had planned a trip for the family but with everything happening in the past month she stopped talking about it.  Roy made a wish to make the trip happen during one of his chemo breaks as a surprise for his wife and family.

Stella’s Wish is sending Roy and his wife and 4 kids  on a 7-day cruise on a Norwegian Cruise Line to the Virgin Islands, St. Marten, St. Thomas and the Bahamas in May of 2023.

Cody was diagnosed back in March of 2019. Since then he has had the standard of care (chemo and radiation), a second chemo, and two craniotomies. Recently, the tumor has begun growing again and a new treatment plan will be discussed. He a brilliant, kind person and his family wishes to give him a special experience.

Stella’s Wish Foundation has arranged for Cody’s family of six to go to Discovery Cove in Florida to swim with the dolphins.

Renee has been diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer. She is a single mother of a 16 yr old boy, Gavin. Renee is a high school chemistry teacher but currently on disability. She has innumerable tumors in the liver and in lymph nodes of the aorta and vena cava.

Renee’s wish is that she and Gavin can spend a special vacation with her relatives, like she did when growing up.

Stella’s Wish is sending gift cards to help pay for a short stay on the beach in Florida with her family to make some special memories.

Teresa Marsh has Stage 4 Extraskeletal Myxoid Chondrosarcoma cancer and 10 tumors. It is rare, so she has to travel back and forth to Philadelphia to the University of Pennsylvania hospitals and to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore.

Her son is a junior in high school. This year has been especially hard for them. Teresa had to take early retirement from her school principal job.The oncologist said she might be able to see her son graduate from high school in a year, but they aren’t sure. He’s been very worried.

Next fall, both of her kids will be in college, and she will miss them a lot. Teresa wished for a MacBook or laptop so that she can FaceTime them and stay connected, hopefully something that she can carry between her craft room and bedroom.

Teresa’s wish is being granted and an Ipad is being sent to her!

Colton has stage 4 metastatic brain melanoma and this past year has been pretty rough with it getting more so. He has 8 tumors in his brain and is beginning radiation again. This is the only treatment they can do as Immunotherapy almost killed him back in April. Colton’s parents made a wish for him to see Dermot Kennedy, but he was too ill to travel.  So instead, Stella’s Wish arranged with the family to cover the expenses for them to go on a local dinner cruise in Iowa City.

 

Jason Braesch, age 48, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Prostate Cancer, which has spread to his lymph nodes and multiple bones, including his spine. His wife says, “He is an amazing man. I met him too late in life so I feel like my time with him is running out to make memories. We got married shortly after he was diagnosed because his prognosis was grim.”  The couple just moved into a home that was supposed to be their lifelong home together.

Jason is a HUGE Chicago Cubs fan so he collects everything and they have made a whole lower level living room into his “Cubs Room” and that is where they spend most of their time together now.

Stella’s Wish Foundation is sending some special Cubs merchandise sent directly to enhance his living space.

 

On March 18th, Wendell Olson was taken to the ER after falling in the shower. He was just so tired tha this family knew something was wrong. The hospitalists immediately found a tumor and took him by ambulance to OHSU. Two days later, he had surgery and his surgeon told us that what she found was no doubt a high-grade, aggressive brain cancer. Pathology confirmed their worst fears, Glioblastoma Grade 4. Due to delays by the insurance and a referral not being sent, his chemo and radiation was delayed. His head swelled until his eye couldn’t open and they took him to the ER again. His tumor had grown back in only a month. He had another craniotomy only a month and a half after his first. He has since started his first round of chemo and radiation.

Wendell Olson has worked for The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde for nearly 30 years. He is the hardest working man his daughter knows and was putting off “fun” for retirement. He had made so many plans for his retirement in 10 years. He wanted to take trips and work on cars and build a shop and do gun-smithing. He has always put his family first. He would never drive a car nicer than his wife’s and would never do anything for himself. He was saving spoiling himself for retirement. He was counting down the years and talked about being on the home stretch.

After his second surgery, his doctors didn’t want to release him to go back to work, but he insisted. He still feels like he needs to take care of his family, but they want him to be able to do something that is just for him.  He would have loved to go to a NASCAR race but is to ill to travel far.  Instead the family asked to go on a local Christmas dinner boat cruise for one evening.

Stella’s Wish Foundation is sending Wendell and his family on a Christmas dinner boat cruise for one evening near where they live in Oregon.

Jack Eldredge’s daughter submitted a wish on his behalf. Jack has been recently diagnosed with stage 4 small cell lung cancer that has metastasized to his hip, shoulder, and brain.  He received his first chemo treatment in June 2022 through August 2022. It was a great response. However, in October 2022 the doctors found that the cancer had spread in his brain. Therefore, his whole brain radiation treatment started in October as well.   Jack has been a life-long Chiefs fan, born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri.  His daughter asked for a special experience at a Chiefs home game. Due to his condition, he would need a handicap parking spot and wheelchair, and would need to be seated in a weather-protected area.

Stella’s Wish Foundation has arranged for Jack and six family members to attend the Kansas City Chiefs game on Dec 24^th and two people will also get to go on to the field before the game!

 

Kile has been diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer, Glioblastoma. She has worked her entire life in the medical field as a microbiologist/etc.  Her daughter says “She’s a very smart lady that I’m proud to call my mom.”  Kile has grandchildren and great-grandchildren in Arkansas that should would love to meet and have a special Christmas gift for.

Stella’s Wish Foundation is providing gifts for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.