Families

Our sister, mother, daughter, and aunt, Mary Capek Charrette was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2007 and her doctors treated it aggressively with chemotherapy and thought they had caught it. However, in April 2009 we found out it had spread to her liver and a few spots on her lungs. She had the colon cancer removed and underwent further treatment with chemo, to completely fight it in the colon and the remaining liver and lung spots. After a year, she had a clean colonoscopy and seemed to be keeping things basically under control; however, the chemo has been really hard on her body and system – she’s had some pretty major side-effects and problems physically requiring additional surgeries. Last Christmas (2010), her doctors wanted her to undergo a 6 month cycle (versus the 3 month cycles she'd been experiencing – treatment 3 days a week every other week for 12 weeks) and she opted at that point to pursue alternative treatments. As of her last check in the past few months things seem to be heading in a positive direction on her liver, however, her lung spots seem to be spreading (or growing) just a bit. Again, the chemo option hasn't seemed to help her as much as others (without hurting her just as much), so she is seeking alternative treatment. Unfortunately, this new alternative treatment plan, and many of the supplements prescribed for her are not covered by insurance.

Mary and Michael are parents of five and proud grandparents of two beautiful grandbabies. Mary has not been able to work since 2009, and Michael has had to miss much work in order to be with Mary and try to fight this battle with her. They have been involved and helped many organizations over their lives together (Lions, Twins Association, Kiwanis, and others) and we’re hoping some of that goodwill will come back their way.

We have partnered with My Friends Care Cancer Fund, a 501-(c)3 non-profit organization that assists cancer patients in raising funds for medical expenses. We are turning to our friends and family to assist us in helping Mary and Michael, as they have helped so many before.

Please join us by sending donations by check made out to My Friends Care, noting in the memo: In Honor of Mary Capek Charrette and mailing to:

My Friends Care
c/o Carol Capek, Coordinator
9288 Towering Oaks Drive
Comstock Park, MI 49321

Or you can donate online via PayPal by visiting www.myfriendscare.org and click on the donate button, which will bring you to the PayPal screen – indicate “in honor of Mary Capek Charrette” in the ‘Purpose’ box. If you have any questions, please contact our coordinator, at the above address, or via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

 

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not. —Dr. Seuss

On December 1, 2010, Beth Tyler, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (bone marrow cancer).  Since then she has undergone twelve weeks of chemotherapy treatments.   With the prayers and support of so many, she has made it this far in her journey and now she needs your help to make it the rest of the way.   The next step of her journey will be to receive a stem-cell transplant at the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor.

Beth is a wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend.  Her expenses have continued to mount from months of past treatments and will continue to mount due to the upcoming transplant and the many related expenses, such as travel and lodging while away from home and long follow up care.  To help with the mounting expenses, Beth’s family and friends have joined forces with My Friends Care Cancer Fund, a nonprofit organization that helps families and friends of cancer patients raise money to cover medical and medically related expenses.

To make a tax-deductible donation* to My Friends Care on Beth’s behalf, please make checks payable to My Friends Care. (Be sure to write “In honor of Bethany Tyler” on the memo line of the check.)

Mail checks to:  My Friends Care,   PO Box 43, Hersey, MI  49639

Donations may also be made via PayPal by visiting www.myfriendscare.org and clicking on “Donate.”  (Be sure to put “In honor of Bethany Tyler” in the Purpose field of the donation page.)

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Beth’s daughter Cindy at 231-832-2310 or email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

We can’t thank you enough for caring “a whole awful lot.”

The Friends and Family of Beth Tyler

*Donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.

On October 15, 2010, Taylor Kanas received news she had a very rare and aggressive form of non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, called ALK Negative Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma.

Taylor successfully completed the standard regimen of chemotherapy and planned to receive a bone marrow transplant using her own harvested cells. Then she found out the discouraging news that she had relapsed. Her doctors ordered additional, extremely intensive, chemotherapy, hoping to put the disease in remission and to have the highest success rate with the transplant. At that point, Taylor was not able to use her own bone marrow cells for the transplant, so doctors began the search for a matching donor.

Taylor’s family and friends helped by holding a fun event with a variety of bands for entertainment, a bone marrow drive and fundraising benefit, called “Rockin For a Match” on March 26, 2011. The event was a huge success and added 220 people to the National Marrow Donor Program Registry!

Later, Taylor received more bad news that the chemo did not work; so the only other option was to begin a clinical trial. The doctors were not able to find a match for Taylor, but decided to use two different cord blood stem cells for her transplant, after the disease is in remission. Taylor recently received the best news yet! The clinical trial was a complete success, removing all traces of cancer and she will be receiving her transplant very soon!

Even while fighting for her life, Taylor’s desire is to help create awareness of the need for bone marrow transplant donors and to help raise funds for “Be The Match” and “My Friends Care Cancer Fund.” She is supporting the Inaugural Michigan Marrow 5K Walk & Fun Run by starting her own team, called “Team Taylor.” She is assisting the committee as a spokesperson, to tell her story, to tell about the need for bone marrow donors and the need to raise funds, to help cover the cost of adding potential donors to the national registry. Taylor will be letting people know how they can become involved and she wants to help in other ways, as her health allows, during her month long stay in the hospital. Her desire to help others during this difficult journey is a testament to Taylor. She is truly an inspiration to all of us!

Annually, 10,000 people like Taylor are in need of a life-saving transplant. Your support helps cover the cost of adding new potential donors to “Be The Match Registry”, increasing the chances of saving more lives. Funds raised allow My Friends Care Cancer Fund to increase bone marrow donor registration and to assist cancer patients that are experiencing financial hardships.

How you can help:

Attend a community bone marrow drive; get tested to become a potential donor

Participate in the Michigan Marrow 5K Walk & Fun Run!  Register to walk or run

Form a team
Become a sponsor
Make a donation
Volunteer

For more information, please contact: Be The Match at 800.471.4627 or email us at:   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Register on our website: www.michiganmarrowwalk.com