INDY Proudly Presents:
Laura Kutzera-Gaarder
Meet September Warrior - Laura Kutzera-Gaarder
It was in late April 2018 that my life changed forever. Over the course of a few days, an achy feeling in my chest quickly became an unbearable pain that could no longer be ignored. I woke up the morning of April 27th, 2018 knowing I needed to see a doctor and soon.
I made an appointment to see the first doctor available in urgent care. I was asked the usual questions. Turn like this...any pain? My answer, “No.” The answer would remain “No” until the doctor asked me to take a deep
breath. Taking a deep breath did cause me great pain. Thankfully my doctor took interest in that and decided to further investigate.
The blood work came back showing elevated d-dimer levels which is an indicator of a pulmonary embolism and cause for more investigation. A CT scan of the chest was ordered. It showed a large mass in the left lung.
Fast forward: a bronchoscopy taken on May 16th 2018 immediately validated what we had feared. I was diagnosed with Non-Small Cell Adenocarcinoma of the left lung. Also known as Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) with an EGFR mutation. That mutation, and the pet scan which showed my cancer had already spread to stage 4, helped direct the course of my treatment.
First came Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Then we started on 6 weeks of radiation therapy to my chest and lungs. After that was complete, I began taking an oral medication called Tagrisso that targets the EGFR mutation. That remained effective for about 15months before the disease progressed to my left adrenal gland and more lesions appeared in my brain.
At that point we had to saddle up for more SRS to the adrenal gland and my brain lesions. This treatment was done over the course of three months. Shortly after Tagrisso stopped working and after getting a couple of opinions, we determined that my best next course of action was IV chemotherapy.
The four rounds of chemotherapy were found to be ineffective. Undergoing chemotherapy left the brain exposed and untreated which led to the growth of 14 new brain tumors. These metastases led to my most recent treatment of whole brain radiation therapy.
To me, being a WARRIOR means being vulnerable. It means letting your guard down on those dark and scary days and allowing your tribe to lift you up with their strength, resilience, and faith. I am fortunate that the people in my tribe all have warrior spirits. In the midst of another poor result, new diagnosis, or just plain old worry, my tribe makes sure I rise up. They surround me, protect me and fight alongside me as we blaze new trails through this rugged terrain.
- Laura Kutzera-Gaarder
During the month of September a portion of the proceeds from shopping all INDY Gear and Apparel will go directly to Laura and her family. Shop now and be sure to mention her name in the comments section at checkout.
You may also donate and 100% will go to Laura and her family.
You may also donate and 100% will go to Laura and her family.
