MEET THE WOLFINGER FAMILY
Meet The Dudley Family from North Wales
The Dudley Family of North Wales had their world flipped upside down in June of 2024.
Their 14 year old daughter, Ayva, was diagnosed with Metastatic osteosarcoma, which is a type of bone cancer that has spread from its original location to other parts of the body, and in Ayva’s case, it was her lungs.
The original cancer in her right leg required an experimental surgery, where her doctors at CHOP were able to save her leg by replacing her shin and knee cap with titanium.
Due to the diagnosis and long recovery, the family was forced to move from their 3rd floor apartment and find a new place to live. Additionally, Mom (Lori) had to take a leave of absence from her own business to tend to Ayva, cutting their income in half while Dad (Steve) continued working as an EMS, and care for their other daughter who is 12 years old.
The family also needed to replace their vehicle due to the sometimes 5 days a week travel to CHOP, and expense they couldn’t take on but had no choice. Ayva would need months of chemo to treat the metastasized cancer in her lungs, which she most recently completed at the end of January. However during the last few rounds of chemo, Mom suffered an embolism and caught a case of double pneumonia, leaving her hospitalized for over a month.
Mom was released from the hospital on March 1st, and is still recovering from the after effects. One of the more exciting updates is Ayva’s education. After not being in school since May 2024 and missing almost all of her 9th grade year, she started back to school on March 18th! Little by little Ayva is starting to feel like a “normal teenager”. She will be 15 on March 22nd and she feels like her life is finally going in a good direction.
The family is not out of the woods by any means, as Ayva will have scans done in May to determine if the cancer in her lungs has regressed or if she requires additional treatment. The family is still down to one income as mom recovers, but with your support, Homers for Hope will be working to help pay their bills as they continue through this difficult journey.