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Landon Outreach Foundation, Inc is passionately committed
to assisting individuals and families in need through financial
assistance,community service and food distribution in the
local community as well as globally.
Landon Outreach Foundation, Inc was founded by Dr. Bruce Landon
and the staff of Landon Plastic Surgery.
727- 376-3999
Landon Outreach Foundation,inc
2011 Man & Woman of the Year
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's
Dr Bruce Landon Has been nominated
for man of the year.
Thank you for all the entries for the “A New You Makeover.”
Thank you all who submitted entries for our makeover contest. There were several very moving stories of hardship, courage and compassion. We had a difficult time choosing a winner. The winner for the “A New You Makeover” is Debbie Vessel. Stay tuned to read more about Debbie and her story.
TO BENEFIT CHILDREN'S CANCER
CENTER & LANDON OUTREACH
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Debbie Vessel
It all started when my daughter Carlee Vessel woke up in January 2006 with severe bruises on her arms and legs. My wife called the doctor and they scheduled an appointment two days later. She took my daughter to every single appointment since her birth, however this time I decided to take her as she was working that day. It was Wednesday, the doctor ran some tests and told me to go to St. Joseph’s Hospital for more test. I said okay, I guess I can take her on Friday because I’m off that day. She said no, no, “you have to go now, the hospital is waiting”. My heart started beating really fast. I left and headed to the hospital and called my wife, Debbie, in route. She stated she had a bad feeling about this. We got to the hospital and after multiple tests and finally a bone marrow aspiration, all within a matter of two hours; we were told our daughter had Cancer. Leukemia. I said “What in the world is that?” Anyways, at this point, grandparents
and family had already rushed to be in the waiting room with us. The whole room broke out in loud tears and screams. Carlee was 4 years old at this point and little did we know that we would not be home for 42 days. Carlee became so sick and was not able to eat for almost 2 weeks. She was strictly on IV fluids. My wife had to quit her job which was a devastating blow to the finances on top of the medical expenses we would go on to incur. We endured 2 ½ years of treatment (CHEMO). Roughly 3 weeks after our initial 42 day stay in the hospital, our oldest daughter Brittney, age 15, was playing softball and had an accident where she was hit in the face with a softball without knowing it was coming at her. She lost her front three teeth, fractured her jaw in 3 places and lost bone in her chin. She was rushed to the hospital where emergency oral surgery was performed. She had her jaw/mouth wired shut for 8 weeks. I thought my wife was going to have a serious nervous br
eakdown with all of these bad things happening at once. Then, about 9 months later, my wife had a normally scheduled doctor appointment with the GYN. While there for a routine checkup, tests, etc…- the doctor told her that she had precancerous cells in her cervix. He said she would have to have her cervix removed and they would test the cells beyond the cervix for further spread of cancerous cells. If there were additional cancerous cells found he would go back in with a second surgery. My wife advised the doctor, “If you are putting me to sleep and I am having surgery I want you to take it all the first time.” The doctor was reluctant but happy after the surgery because he did find additional cancerous cells. I remember telling myself “My Lord, please, please, no more” and “why us”? So on we went with that surgery and of course our daughter Brittney had to have multiple procedures over time to her face and teeth to repair the jaw, received implants and replacement a
rtificial bone in her chin. Of course we were still into the first year of Carlee’s protocol treatment for cancer. Fast forward to today, 2011, and everything is going so awesome. Carlee has been off treatment for 2 years now, Brittney has come to accept her implants and my wife just had her final checkup-post surgery (every 6 months for 5 years) and everything is clean and clear. We have been through a lot but more importantly, my wife Debbie has been through so much and endured it all. She is even working again, part time to be with Carlee of course and we appreciate life to the fullest.
Debbie, like many others who have experienced cancer, not only in herself but in our daughter, sees great gifts in the reality of cancer. "It’s made her appreciate life, value relationships, stop and smell the roses. It also forces the realization that most of the things I’ve obsessed about all my life are unimportant. It doesn’t mean I follow that every second. But I have the self-knowledge." She identifies only one downside to this new attitude. "If someone I know complains about a seemingly lesser problem, it’s hard for me to resist telling them, ‘Oh, that is just so nothing! ‘" And as we like to say “Every day is a gift”.
Thank You
Doug Vessel
The story was submitted in by her husband
MARCH 5TH 2011 PHOTOS
TO BENEFIT CHILDREN'S CANCER CENTER & LANDON OUTREACH
