Cynthia Gerdes

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. Thank you for supporting me in my life with cancer. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting. -- As many of you know, I have stage 4 lung cancer, adenocarcinoma, with a large mass right middle lobe, nodules in both lungs, and small metastatic lesions in my brain.  Unfortunately, to date all the markers for which they have immunotherapy have been negative (ALK, EGFR, PD-L1).  Although other labs are pending, we are not delaying the start of chemotherapy which will start next week.  We are planning IV chemo every 3 weeks for four treatments at least, and repeat CT scan to assess treatment progress after the 2nd treatment.  In the meantime, I am enjoying alternative and integrative treatments and today I am in a painting class with Gilda's Club Cancer Support group.  Fear not, I will be establishing a second opinion regarding treatment at KU and/or Wash U and MD Anderson, but they will need all my next generation lab work.  I will do my best to keep this site up to date with medical information and fun things I'm doing also.  In addition, if you are looking for ways to help, I will try to keep this site up to date with things that I or Jan or the boys may appreciate.  For now, family and friends have stocked my fridge and freezer, cleaning my house, and transporting me here and there.  I continue to work, and those at my work have been very supportive.  Your prayers are appreciated.  Love, Cynthia. 


CLARIFICATION: Cynthia is NOT asking for donations. the donation option is free will; it goes to caringbridge.org and not to Cynthia.