Dear Friends

Dear Friends,

Team “Love for Leanna” is asking for some help for a very special young lady and her mom, Lupe Ramirez. Leanna Elizalde is battling a rare form of cancer that has developed and spread over the last three years from a disease she has battled all of her life called Neurofibromatosis.

Neurofibromatosis is a genetic disorder of the nervous system. It mostly affects how nerve cells form and grow which causes tumors to grow on the nerves. It also causes skin changes, deformed bones and usually starts at birth. Leanna has had a tumor on her ankle for years. It is wrapped around the nerve so tightly that doctors say is too difficult to remove; she had two benign tumors removed from her spine when she was 16. In 2008, Leanna’s senior year of high school, she had a tumor removed from her groin. The tumor, unfortunately, came back malignant. Ten percent of the people with Neurofibromatosis also develop malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (Leanna’s type of cancer).

Leanna had five weeks of radiation during the spring of her senior year. In fall of 2009, a tumor was found on Leanna’s spine. The tumor was removed in November, it also was malignant. Leanna underwent six weeks of strong radiation to her abdomen, pelvic and spine. During her radiation she discovered a lump on her arm. The lump prompted a CT scan which revealed a 5cm tumor in her lung and several small nodules. Eight weeks ago, Leanna had one quarter of her lung removed and has been back for two more procedures due to a collapsed lung and fluid in the lung. She is expected to start chemotherapy, but doctors are waiting for her lung to completely heal before this can begin.

Leanna and her mother make several trips to the UC Medical Center in Sacramento a week, not-to-mention the numerous hospital stays that Leanna has endured over the last seven months. The gas, Co-pay, and medication bills are really taking a toll on Lupe, who is a single mom, working and going to all of Leanna’s appointments.

We are hosting a 3mile walk\run fund raiser on Saturday, July 10^th in order to help Lupe and Leanna with the mounting expenses. Any donations would be greatly appreciated to help with this event. We are looking for food, water, samples for goody bags, or even cash.

Thank You so much for any donation you can give to this very special young lady and her mom.

Respectfully,

Team “Love for Leanna”