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Lifestyle
GoFundMe Begun For Baby From Bloomfield With Rare Medical Condition GoFundMe Begun For Baby From Bloomfield With Rare Medical Condition
GoFundMe Begun For Baby From Bloomfield With Rare Medical Condition The family of a year-and-a-half-old baby girl have started a GoFundMe campaign to help defray medical expenses incurred as doctors treat her rare and potentially fatal medical condition.  Sawyer Jane Barrow was born last year with a condition known as vein of Galen malformation, in which veins don't connect to capillaries but directly to the great cerebral vein. The condition leads to an abnormally fast blood flow, which can lead to a variety of problems, including congestive heart failure, brain bleeding and seizures. Vein of Galen malformations are very rare, affecting just 1 in 3 mil…

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by Paul Milo
Neighbors
ER Nurse From Union County Needs Help In Cancer Fight ER Nurse From Union County Needs Help In Cancer Fight
ER Nurse From Union County Needs Help In Cancer Fight As an emergency room nurse for the last 13 years, Jennifer Noone has helped countless people in medical distress. Now, she finds herself in need of help. Noone, a Clark resident who attended Roselle Catholic High School and Kean University, was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal carcinoma in February. A rare form of cancer, nasopharyngeal carcinoma affects only about 1 in 100,000 Americans. The experienced nurse contracted a sinus infection in January and knew something was wrong when it wasn’t clearing up. A visit to the doctor confirmed that she was very sick and had to begin an aggressive co…

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by Paul Milo
Lifestyle
Butler Toddler Battles Aggressive Brain Tumor Butler Toddler Battles Aggressive Brain Tumor
Butler Toddler Battles Aggressive Brain Tumor The community is coming together in support of a Butler toddler battling a rare brain tumor. Theo Fredericks was rushed to the emergency room last month after persistent vomiting, headaches and imbalance was not responding to typical treatments directed by his pediatrician. An MRI and CT scan showed a mass on his brain, which was removed two days later -- and Theo was diagnosed with rare brain cancer medulloblastoma. Theo is facing chemotherapy -- several rounds of it -- along with inpatient hospital stays, outpatient clinic visits and a stem cell transplant. …

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by Cecilia Levine
Lifestyle
Community Rallies For Single Saddle Brook Mom Fighting Cancer... Again Community Rallies For Single Saddle Brook Mom Fighting Cancer... Again
Community Rallies For Single Saddle Brook Mom Fighting Cancer... Again A single mom from Saddle Brook battling cancer for the second time has the support of her community. After losing the father of her three children and beating cancer for the first time two years ago, disaster struck again for Judy O'Connell just before Christmas 2018: Stage 3 Adenocarcinoma of the liver. More than $3,800 had been raised for O'Connell on a GoFundMe launched by lifelong friend Laurie McRae as of Thursday afternoon. "Here the battle begins," the GoFundMe says.  "The aggressive six and a half hour chemo therapy attempting to shrink the tumor might affect her ability to w…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
FDA Approved Medicine Has Makings Of 'Excellent Cancer Drug,' Holy Name Doc Says FDA Approved Medicine Has Makings Of 'Excellent Cancer Drug,' Holy Name Doc Says
FDA Approved Medicine Has Makings Of 'Excellent Cancer Drug,' Holy Name Doc Says A Holy Name Medical Center physician says a new cancer drug recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration is a significant step in the right direction. Vitrakvi (Larotrectinib) is for adults and children with solid tumors who test positive for TPM3-NTRK gene fusion, which Holy Name oncologist, Dr. Elan Diamond, likened to an on-switch that certain cancers depend on for growth and survival. Shutting off the switch can shut off the cancer. "It's a very fascinating development," he said. "This is one of the newest iterations of what we consider to be targeted treatment for cancer…

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by Cecilia Levine
Neighbors
Community Rallies For Elmwood Park Dad Fighting Cancer Community Rallies For Elmwood Park Dad Fighting Cancer
Community Rallies For Elmwood Park Dad Fighting Cancer He's a father, a husband, a son, and a friend. Now, Bryan Castro of Elmwood Park is a fighter, too. More than $5,200 had been raised as of Saturday afternoon on a GoFundMe for the 28-year-old Clifton native, recently diagnosed with  Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Castro is facing several rounds of chemotherapy treatment and has already endured one surgery and a slew of tests. "This has been one of the toughest situations Bryan and I have had to go through," said his wife Cynthia, the page's founder, "but I know I have to stay strong and be his biggest support system through this journe…

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by Cecilia Levine
Lifestyle
Dumont Family Fights For Beloved 'Gentle Giant' Dog Diagnosed With Cancer Dumont Family Fights For Beloved 'Gentle Giant' Dog Diagnosed With Cancer
Dumont Family Fights For Beloved 'Gentle Giant' Dog Diagnosed With Cancer A Dumont family is turning to the community for support after its beloved dog was diagnosed with cancer. More than $2,300 had been raised on a GoFundMe as of Monday launched by Becky Cabrera for her family's dog Bentley. The "life-thriving gentle giant" was diagnosed with Lymphoma after an emergency visit to the hospital. Doctors told the family all hope was lost and suggested putting Bentley down the following day, Cabrera wrote on the GoFundMe. "Just when we thought Bentley had no hope, he proved us wrong and has been doing great on steroids which will help him fight for h…

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by Cecilia Levine
Lifestyle
Ultra Runner Goes 24 Hours Nonstop To Honor Late North Jersey Mom's Valiant Cancer Battle Ultra Runner Goes 24 Hours Nonstop To Honor Late North Jersey Mom's Valiant Cancer Battle
Ultra Runner Goes 24 Hours Nonstop To Honor Late North Jersey Mom's Valiant Cancer Battle The most tragic element of Kerri Prettitore's battle with colon cancer to Chad Lapp of Ridgewood was that after just one chemotherapy treatment, her condition worsened. Tests indicated that 42-year-old Prettitore had suffered from a condition called Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency (DPD), which was caused by the chemotherapy and prevented her body from breaking down one of the chemotherapy drugs. Lapp will be honoring Prettitore, who died of medical complications while battling cancer, and raising awareness toward DPD by running a 24-hour race in the Northcoast 24 Hour Endurance R…

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by Cecilia Levine
Obituaries
Lyndhurst Teacher Michelle Rogan Dies Weeks After Cancer Diagnosis Lyndhurst Teacher Michelle Rogan Dies Weeks After Cancer Diagnosis
Lyndhurst Teacher Michelle Rogan Dies Weeks After Cancer Diagnosis Heartbreak swept the community Saturday, March 24, following the death of local preschool teacher Michelle Emily Rogan. She died two days after her 49th birthday. Last month, Rogan was rushed to the hospital complaining of severe shoulder and back pain. After endless tests, she was diagnosed with stage IV uterine cancer that had metastasized to her liver, bones and lymph nodes. Michelle, a teacher at St. Michael Angel Academy, started chemotherapy immediately but treatment had to be discontinued due to excess fluid that built up in Michelle's lungs. She died less than eight weeks later in …

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by Cecilia Levine
Neighbors
Support Surges For Lyndhurst Pre-K Teacher Fighting Cancer Support Surges For Lyndhurst Pre-K Teacher Fighting Cancer
Support Surges For Lyndhurst Pre-K Teacher Fighting Cancer More than $6,600 had been raised as of Tuesday morning on a GoFundMe for a Lyndhurst preschool teacher battling cancer. Michelle Breslin Rogan was rushed to the emergency room two weeks ago with complaints of severe shoulder and back pain. After endless tests, she was diagnosed with stage IV uterine cancer that had metastasized to her liver, bones and lymph nodes.  Michelle started chemotherapy immediately but treatment had to be discontinued due to excess fluid that built up in Michelle's lungs, according to the GoFundMe page.  "She was finding it very difficult to breathe. Doctors …

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by Cecilia Levine