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Basser Center Gift Fund
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Fundraising goal $5,000.00
Recent donations (14 donations)
Name DescendingX Amount
Ms. Petra Korn
Ms. Zea Shimahara $82.00
Mrs. Moana Eichelberger $100.00
Mr. Dennis Young $500.00
Mrs. Shannon Hughes
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Recent donations
Top donors (14 donations)
Mr. Dennis Young $500.00
Mrs. Moana Eichelberger $100.00
Christian Kennel $100.00
Ms. LUNEL LEMIEUX
Ms. Zea Shimahara $82.00
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Meta Buchheim BRCA Fundraiser

Meta Buchheim
Meta Buchheim's Story
This fundraiser has been established by Tatjana Luethi (daughter-in-law), Mark Buchheim (son), Debbie Ross (daughter), and Bill Duff (Life partner) in memory of Meta Buchheim to raise awareness and funds for the research on BRCA1 and 2 Gene mutation associated cancers.

Meta was diagnosed with Breast Cancer (stage 2b) at the end of August 2013. On Sept 25th she underwent a Lumpectomy. However, after surgery the doctors proposed to proceed and schedule a mastectomy. In preparation for the mastectomy, Meta underwent another 4 weeks of tests, scans and biopsies, and unfortunately was diagnosed with peritoneal ovarian cancer. She immediately got scheduled for another surgery and underwent a hysterectomy on October 25th. 3 weeks later, she started her first chemotherapy which was scheduled to take place every Wednesday for the next 4 1/2 months. She had her 2nd chemotherapy on Wednesday, Nov. 20th.

On Saturday morning, November 23rd, Meta started experiencing symptoms and side effects of chemotherapy. Monday morning however, her symptoms got drastically worse and Tatjana brought her to the Emergency Room at Kaiser Permanente. The ER doctors agreed it would be best for her to stay until the symptoms would lessen. Tuesday morning Debbie and Tatjana arrived in the late morning. Meta's condition drastically declined. Debbie and Tatjana kept on demanding for doctors to see her and were frustrated with the lack of sense of urgency by the hospital staff at Kaiser. The assigned doctor finally arrived after 2pm on Tuesday, Nov. 26th, and recognized the urgency of the situation and promised to immediately submit for the necessary actions. A few minutes after the doctor left, Meta said to Tatjana that she had trouble breathing. Tatjana ran out to get the nurses...Meta fell into a cardiac arrest...and did not survive. Meta was only 67.

The Memorial took place in a private setting on Saturday, December 7th, 2013.

What is BRCA1 and BRCA2?
After Meta Buchheim got diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer she did a genetic test to check for the BRCA gene mutation associated with breast and ovarian cancers. Meta tested positive. Her family learned that this gene mutation is prevalent in the Ashkenazi Jewish Community (descendants from Eastern and Central Europe), and unfortunately is hereditary.

Angelina Jolie made headlines earlier in 2013 with her decision to get a preventive double mastectomy given that she too is a BRCA carrier.

Raising Awareness and Funds
Meta's son Mark, her daughter Debbie, and her daughter-in-law Tatjana decided to start a social fundraiser to support The Basser Research Center for BRCA, which is dedicated to raising awareness in the Jewish community about the prevalence of BRCA1 and BRCA2, to make genetic testing accessible, and to support research projects on BRCA.

To learn more about BRCA check out:

http://bit.ly/1bLLXWP
http://brcageneawareness.org/


Tatjana, Mark and Debbie became Bill's care-taker (Bill, 91 years old, was Meta's life partner). Shortly before Christmas 2013, Bill moved into an Assisted Living Home nearby. Tatjana is currently in the middle of organizing a team within the community to initiate a Senior Roommate Housing project. To learn more about the project see here: http://theswisszone.blogspot.com/2014/01/empowering-our-seniors-and-elderly.html


Saving Lives
This is a quick overview why your financial support matters and how it helps the Basser Research Center to help saving lives !

To view complete mission see here: http://www.penncancer.org/basser/about/mission/
  • To promote research on Biology of BRCA1 and BRCA2
  • To provide Communication, Outreach and Risk Assessment
  • To launch cancer prevention trials
  • To develop imaging techniques for early detection
  • To launch and expand treatments
Donation messages
Dear Mark, Tatjana, Debbie and Bob, my hertfelt condolences to the transitioning of your mother, mother-in-law, and life-partner. No words will be able to console you or fill the void in your heart. It is my wish that this will bring your closer together as a family and you will find some peace in your hearts knowing that she is now free and will forever be around you and keep a very special place in your hearts. Much love and many blessings, Petra --Ms. Petra Korn
In honor of a wonderful woman. --The McKown Family
In memory of Meta. --Christian Kennel
In memory of a very special neighbor, good friend, and great mom. --Ken & Jan BAIRD
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delrossi@upenn.edu | Anne Marie Del Rossi, Director, Data Services | 215.898.3062
2929 Walnut Street, Suite 300 Philadelphia, PA 19104 | Superuser