The Holmstead Family Needs Your Help
Aubrey Holmstead is a student at Loughborough Public School in Verona, On November 10th, the Holmstead family’s world changed in an instant. After the sudden onset of concerning symptoms, Aubrey, (Pamela and Derek homestead’s eldest daughter) was brought into the Children’s Outpatient Clinic at Hotel Dieu in Kingston.
Within hours the family was facing every parent’s worst fear, a mass on her brainstem, that eventually became a diagnosis of medulloblastoma, a rare and aggressive brain tumour. She was transferred to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and soon after underwent a 14-hour surgery. Although the neurosurgeons considered the first surgery a success, there was one area close to the site of the tumor that needed further examination. This led to the confirmation of additional affected cells and a second surgery of 6 hours. The good news is that the doctors have confirmed a 99% removal of the tumour.
Following her first surgery, Aubrey developed Posterior Fossa Syndrome and is unable to speak, eat or walk on her own.
As part of Aubreys next chapter in her road to recovery, the family must travel from Ottawa to Chicago for at least six weeks of specialized proton radiation therapy, the safest and most effective treatment available to give her the best chance at a full life. The Holmstead’s will be living away from home while also continuing to care for Aubrey’s younger sister Emily.
Upon return from Chicago, Aubrey will likely return to CHEO as an inpatient as local hospitals in Kingston do not have the rehab resources Aubrey requires. The family will continue to travel between Kingston and Ottawa as Aubrey begins 9 months of chemotherapy.
To help cover the costs the Holmstead family is facing, a Gofundme page has been set up for them. It can be accessed at gofundme.com/f/help-aubrey-battle-a-brain-tumour or by going to Gofundme.com and typing “Aubrey” in the search bar.
The campaign has been very successful, having raised over $80,000 towards a $90,000 target, thanks to supporters from near and far.
After starting the campaign in early November, the Holmstead family received the news that Aubrey’s proton radiation in Chicago was approved by the Ontario government as outpatient treatment only. Due to Aubrey’s Posterior Fossa Syndrome, she requires inpatient care. She will have to travel from a hospital in Chicago to the treatment clinic by ambulance. Each ambulance ride will cost $1600 US, and Aubrey will have to make the trip 31 times. The family is requesting help from Ontario Health Services but do not know if they will cover this expense. If not, this extra cost, which is in addition to all the other costs related to the trip to Chicago and while Aubrey remains at CHEO before and afterwards, are to paid the family, approximately $50,000.
Any contribution, no matter the size, helps ease the significant financial impact so their family can focus on what matters most: helping her recover, heal, and find her smile again. Any funds above what the family requires will be donated to CHEO, a small token of thanks for the outstanding care and support that the family has received over the last month.
If you cannot donate, please consider sharing Aubrey’s story. Your support means more to the Holmsteads than words can express
