Katy Dassenko

This is a great opportunity for the students of Advance >> to show their faith by caring for someone in need.

Katy Dassenko is a 9th grader at AK High School and it is very possible she has some kind of cancer. Although they are not sure what she is battling, she has a lot of swelling in her legs and has many tumors in her stomach. She has been tested over and over again but they have not nailed down what is wrong with her yet.

Katy has had blood transfusions, spinal taps and lots of other procedures, but they still don't know what is wrong. At first they were going to remove her ovaries and possibly her uterus (which would mean she would not be able to give birth later on in life), but THANKFULLY they did not move forward with that surgery because it was a mis-diagnosis. It has been really tough for her and her family to walk through this and just not know anything... they feel helpless.

Katy and her family moved her a little over a year ago from Michigan and in the past two months, Katy has started coming to Advance >> and has loved it. She feels at home and loved by her Life Group and her Life Group Leader, April Walker.

The Advance >> staff and volunteers have been over to visit Katy a couple times but last night she was moved into ICU and cannot see visitors right now. When we talked to her parents today and asked what the students of Advance >> can do for her they told us a few things. We want to pass this along to you, the students, so that we can show Katy and her family the love of Christ during this difficult time.

Here is a list of ways that we can show her love and support. We will be collecting all these items at Advance >> this Sunday night. Please bring whatever you can.

• Pray for her and her family.


• Write Cards/Notes/Letters to her and encourage her with Scripture.


• She LOVES stuffed animals and anything with the Disney character Tinkerbelle.


• She loves Duke Basketball and the Detroit Pistons.


• She loves to get manicures and pedicures (if you go visit her that would be fun!)


• Friend her on Facebook and send her encouraging messages


• Text her and let her know you are praying for her... 734-883-2139
  

Although they are not certain of the problem, they think it might be Burkitts Lymphoma and there is a possibility that she will start chemo-therapy tomorrow (Saturday). More info on this later.

Students of Advance >>... Let's STEP IT UP! Let's BE THE CHURCH! We need to show love and support for this girl and her family. Please pray for her and find at least one other way to reach out to her. We will drop off whatever we collect at Advance>> on Tuesday afternoon.

They are at Presbyterian Hospital in downtown Charlotte, in the Hemby Children's wing. Her parents names are Gary and Linda.

Thanks for caring for her!