After over a decade, Debbie Zelman, founder of Debbie’s Dream Foundation, succumbed to her stomach cancer at age fifty.
From the beginning, Debbie’s prognosis was not good. When the cancer was discovered, she was already in stage four and doctors told her that her chances of surviving even one year was only fifty-fifty. Her chances of surviving five years were almost nonexistent. Read the original article in the Sun Sentinel.
However, she defied the expectations of medical experts and her experience with cancer inspired her to start the foundation, which is dedicated to building awareness and funding research to cure stomach cancer. Despite the fact that she was dealing with treatment herself, she always maintained a positive attitude and remained active in the foundation’s efforts.
She last appeared publicly at a birthday party three months ago that also served as a fundraiser for the organization. They netted $80,000 that day. Andrea Eidelman, the current executive director of the foundation, says that the group will continue to honor Debbie’s memory by continuing to fund cutting edge research to find a cure for the deadly disease.
Stomach cancer develops in the lining of the stomach. Symptoms include weight loss, yellowing of the skin and eyes, vomiting, swallowing problems, bloody stool, and loss of appetite. While the causes can vary, around sixty percent of cases are caused by infection with the bacteria Helicobacter pylori. Dietary choices and smoking are also significant risk factors. Although survival rates are improving in countries where stomach cancer screenings are common, the worldwide five year survival rate is only ten percent. For more in-depth information about stomach cancer, click here.
When Debbie received her diagnosis, there were very few resources for those with stomach cancer, leaving her with few options. The disease is usually only discovered in an advanced stage because symptoms are usually subtle when the cancer first appears. For her funeral Debbie requested donations to the foundation instead of flowers.
Even though Debbie is gone now, inspiring stories of persistence, survival, and flourishing such as hers will give encouragement to others, and the Debbie’s Dream Foundation lives on as a testament to her strength.
