Welcome to Team Audrey!
I will be participating in the 2021 SEALs for Sunshine Virtual Peak to Peaks Challenge this August! Please consider making a donation to my page to support Camp Sunshine - a free, year-round retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.
I am Team Audrey for my daughter. To hear your child has cancer is earth shattering, soul wrenching, and a true test of strength. Here is Audreys' story:
Audrey, was 2 years old when I took her to the Opthalmologist because I noticed she had a strange glow in her right eye. I thought it could be a scratched cornea. The doctor came into the room and checked her eyes, then he left the room quickly. A few minutes later he entered the room and said what every parent's worst nightmare is. He said Audrey has Retinoblastoma-an extremely rare and aggressive eye cancer that could take her life. She was immediately referred to a top Ophthalmic Oncologist in Manhattan, NY. Dr. Abramson at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center confirmed that the tumor was very advanced and complex. He said that her retina was already detached and that she already had zero vision in that eye. Due to this advanced stage presentation, and the life threatening risk of the cancer spreading to her optic nerve, orbits and/or brain, the decision was made to have her right eye enucleated (removed). On February 7th, 2013 Audrey had her right eye enucleated and an orbital implant placed. Surprisingly, a few hours after her surgery, she was up and playing in the children's area with all sorts of toys acting like nothing even happened! She is a warrior. A few weeks later the pathology results of the globe and optic nerve found that the cancer was completely contained to her eye that was removed and Audrey was considered to be cancer free! Once her eye socket was healed, she met with an ocularist where Audrey received a prosthetic eye that was custom painted to match her other eye. She will continue to get annual checkups with the Ophthalmic Oncologist for the rest of her life and also needs to visit the ocularist periodically for adjustments and replacements of her prosthetic since the eye socket changes as her body grows.
Camp Sunshine in Casco, Maine is such a special place for families affected by life-threatening childhood illness. Having illness-specific camp sessions (like Retinoblastoma week) gives families a chance to meet others facing similar challenges, relax together and enjoy the simplicity and beauty of life along the beautiful Sebago Lake. Go Camp Sunshine!
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