Redwood City, CA
1-800-348-8911
Taylor Thoman - 9 months old
911 Cares Supporters,
911 CARES asks for your help with a Dispatcher Family in Need. This request comes from VECC (Salt Lake City Region) 9-1-1
“We have an employee named Diana Thoman that has worked for the Center for nearly 15 years. Her husband, Chuck, is a Sandy Police Officer. Last March Diana gave birth to darling twins – a boy named Kyle & a girl named Taylor . Within a few months they found out that Kyle had cystic fibrosis. Of course that requires a lot of doctor visits, training for them to provide Kyle's care, etc. They were just getting all that figured out when the next challenge was discovered.
Their beautiful little daughter, Taylor, was diagnosed with retinoblastoma. We know that the cancer is limited to the tumors & has not invaded her brain or spinal cord. Children's Hospital of Los Angeles is the closest facility that provides the cutting-edge treatment that Taylor needs. The Thomans must travel there from Utah every three weeks for chemo. After six chemo treatments, they will still need to travel to LA for follow-up exams under anesthesia every three weeks, for the next two years, to make sure that the tumors are not recurring.
They have been able to utilize Angel Flights & the Ronald McDonald house, but as you can imagine, that is just the tip of the iceberg financially. I am hoping that you will be able to rally financial help and support for the Thomans.”
Diana had taken her twins in for their 9 month immunizations and “well baby” checkups. The pediatrician did a “red reflex” eye test on Taylor and referred them immediately to a pediatric ophthalmologist. It was determined that Taylor has retinoblastoma, which is cancer in both eyes. This type of cancer is always malignant. The Thomans were referred to an expert who specializes in this cancer at the Children's Hospital in Los Angeles .
The tumors are rated from A to E, E being the worst. After testing Taylor, the tumors in both of her eyes are rated D. Right now she can only see light from her left eye but has good vision in the right eye. She will have 6 rounds of chemo and then laser surgery. If this treatment works, she may or may not regain vision in her left eye, they cannot tell until the tumors shrink. If the tumors cannot be killed with this treatment they would remove her eyes and she would have prosthetic eyes put in. She will need at least 25 eye exams under anesthesia over the next two years as they need to check the growth of the tumors often.
Taylor is a fighter! The nurses in post-op have never seen a baby fight so hard as she did when she came out of anesthesia. Her twin brother Kyle is staying with Grandma while mom and dad are with her in California during her treatments and tests. Diana would like everyone to think positive thoughts as they are, as 98% of children with this type of cancer survive the cancer itself, it is just a matter of getting the treatment to save her life first, then trying to save her eyes second.
Any assistance you are able to provide would be very much appreciated by Diana, Chuck, and most of all, Taylor.
Donations can be mailed to the following address. Please make checks payable to Diana and Charles Thoman.
Salt Lake Valley Emergency Communications Center (VECC)
5360 South Ridge Village Drive
West Valley City , Utah 84118
ATTN: Manager Geana Randall
VECC: Agency phone is 801-840-4017.
Support and prayers for Taylor and her family can be sent to:
Note from 911 CARES:
This need has been verified and we ask that you consider making a direct donation via mailing a check directly to the address listed below. You can also make a donation by calling 911 CARES at 800-348-8911 and make sure you ask the money goes to the Thoman family fund. We accept VISA, Master Card and American Express. We will also add a direct link on our shopping site at www.911cares.com Any financial assistance would be greatly appreciated to help Diana and Chuck with Taylor 's continued treatment in Los Angeles, California for the next two years.
Additionally, ANY order made at www.911cares.com between now and February 17th will help the Thoman family. We will contribute 20% of all sales made from ANY Utah address during that period!
VECC:
Agency phone is 801-840-4017.
911 Cares
www.pstc911.com www.911cares.com
650-591-7911 x 103
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