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Tuesday, September 22, 2009

SURVIVOR - RUTH MERSBURGH, HAWAII, USA

Ruth in her race to heal gear www.racetoheal.com
Ruth and her crew at a canoe regatta

Praise Our Lord for another story of hope and courage and of a sweet little girl that continues to change the world by creating awareness and funds to lead us to the cure for all who fight neuroblastoma.


Ruth lives in beautiful Hawaii with her amazing family who all do so much to fight neuroblastoma.


Here is how Ruths journey started


On March 4, 2006 Ruth enter the hospital for testing. By March 11, 2006 Ruth was found to have Neuroblastoma, stage IV.
Ruth learned a new word at the young age of 4, cancer. She calls her cancer "lump".
June 30, 2006 Ruth had her primary tumor completly removed. Five hours later Ruth came out of the operation with no complaints. She stayed on her regular floor for four days and got discharged. Her doctors had told me that the operation she had is one of the most painful to recover from. Ruth did not fuss. She trusted in her Lord and Savior Jesus to help her along. Ruth has told us many times that Jesus places His healing hands on sick children. She got a break to recover, July 5, 2006 we flew home to Kona. Ruth had not been home since April. She only got to stay 4 days a home in April. July 17, 2006 we returned to Oahu to finish her last round of chemo. Starting August 7-17, 2006 Ruth will be doing all the testing we did back in March, CT scan, Bone scan, MIBG, heart and kidney scan, hearing test and Bone Marrow. After the results are in her doctors will decide if she will have another resection on the right neck nodes. Ruth did have a recection after Labor Day on the last bit of tumor on the left neck. Post surgery scans found another mass in the front of her neck. Ruth did two rounds of out patient chemo for five days each round. After the first round she was without the mass. We did a second round just to make sure. Bone Marrow Transplant Workup test found Ruth disease free. The autologus stem cell transplant will be on Nov. 3. Check in for the transplant is Oct. 26 for four days of super chemo, three days of rest taking us to Day 0 Nov. 3 the actual stem cell infusion day. Ruth will be in isolation until her blood counts recover. She will need to be on the island of Oahu for 100 days post transplant. After the transplant Ruth will have two weeks of radiation and then a biological theraphy. We beleive through many that have entered Ruth's life that God is healing Ruth. God has a purpose for everything. Continue to check her site and continue to pray for Ruth. The transplant went very well. Twelve days of radiation followed the transplant on her neck and chest tumors. After the 100 days on Oahu Ruth was realeased to go back home. Ruth now is on another study currently taking six rounds of Accutane, yes the acne medicine. July 2, 2007 she completed the Accutane, and had her week of testing. July 30, 2007 we are giving God all the glory for Ruth's new status of NED, no evidence of disease. Thank you for praying for Ruth to stay cancer free.


Ruth and her family continue to remain a part of so many projects, namely Locks of Love, Race to heal and many many canoe regattas! I believe that Ruth and her entire family love to canoe!


Latest update on Ruth is that the next round of check up scans is in October and she will be 3 years NED! Please pray for her continued NED status and for her family to continue making such a big difference! lots of hugs and love and of course prayers!!!

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