Camdyn Dunn Keeps Fighting; Her Army of Supporters Keeps Helping - Branford, CT Patch

10/1/13 11:56 AM

Editor Jenn McCulloch jenn.mcculloch@patch.com

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Camdyn Dunn Keeps Fighting; Her Army of Supporters Keeps Helping

Baskets for Camdyn Dunn will be on sale until Thursday night.
By Nicole Ball Email the author April 7, 2011

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Today is a big day for eight-year-old Camdyn Dunn; a fundraiser to support her in a battle against stage four anaplastic large cell lymphoma will take place as well as potentially her last treatment of chemotherapy. This morning from Yale-New Haven Childrens Hospital, Rachel Dunn, mom of Camdyn, shared that her tiny fighter was finally taking a nap after having been up all night something she has grown accustomed to since her chemo treatments began in mid December. Tomorrow could be the last dose of chemo Camdyn takes since the process began (in total, she has gone through six rounds of chemo). A weary but supportive mom, Rachel commented that she was very grateful for the upcoming fundraiser a basket sale and the several pervious fundraisers that have helped her to make ends meets since caring for Camdyn became her fulltime job. As a single parent, Rachel had to quit her job, leaving her financial situation shaky. A pasta dinner to support Camdyn was a great success back in February and last week, proceeds from dinners purchased at Elis on the Hill went to support Camdyn. This time, the fundraising was part creative and part competitive, shares organizer Christine Baughman who has two daughters at John B. Sliney School school who are friends with Camdyn. For the past three weeks, every grade at Sliney has been preparing themed baskets to raffle off at the elementary school talent show tomorrow night held at Francis Walsh Intermediate School. There are 22 baskets filled to the brim waiting for good homes and more than 1,200, $1 tickets sold to hopeful winners. You can purchase raffle tickets for a basket at Sliney in the morning or at the talent show at WIS from 6 to 7 p.m. (the raffle will be pulled at intermission, 8 p.m.). Baughman shared that the two male second grade teachers, Peter Frye and Eric Jacobson competed to make the best sports themed baskets. Other baskskets feature a coffee theme, a pizza theme and one is even stuffed with a Kindle. Baughman said she had hoped that each grade would work together with teachers and room mothers organizing the creation of one basket per grade; now, just days before the raffle, there are one to two baskets per classroom.
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Camdyn Dunn Keeps Fighting; Her Army of Supporters Keeps Helping - Branford, CT Patch

10/1/13 11:56 AM

Baughman who is a nurse by day and a PTA mom by choice, said of her idea to have the kids participate, I think its really important to get the kids involved because they dont understand whats going on. The kids feel like they are helping her and making a difference. What Baughman may not know is just how much the students are helping Camdyn. Whispering this morning as to not wake Camdyn, Rachel said apart from her daughter struggling through chemo, spinal taps, blood and platelet transfusions and painful neupogen injections (that stimulates bone marrow to regenerate), Camdyn desperately misses her friends. Rachael said Camdyns weakened immune system keeps her from visiting with friends and family and the separation has gotten so hard that Camdyn finds it hard to even talk to people on the phone because she cries. When a rare chance makes itself available if there is no fear of someone bringing something as simple as a common cold to Camdyn she does get to see her friends and is elated. How does she find the strength to have those moments of happiness? Rachel contemplated. She absolutely amazes me. Camdyns levels will continue to be tested after the last chemo treatment is administered today. If she can go home, Camdyn will still have to be kept isolated from large groups of people so she doesnt fall victim to a bug or virus. Rachel said a month down the road, after multiple echocardiograms are done to monitor her heart, Camdyn will then undergo a PET scan to show if there is any cancer left in her body. Rachel said, if all goes well and the PET scan is clean, it will be the first time she will exhale in about six months. If Camdyns blood counts return to normal, with no transfusions or injections, she can begin to live life again as a normal child. Two years from now, if she continues to progress, Camdyn will be in remission. Fighting one day at a time, Rachel said, I wont get excited until I get that final test in my hand. Meanwhile, back at Sliney, several of Camdyns friends showed off their favorite baskets and posed for photos yesterday morning. When told that Camdyn will get to see the photos, several pairs of thumbs went up into the air and seven little smiles lit up the whole school. Email me updates about this story. Enter your email address
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Janis D'Andrea
7:05 am on Thursday, April 7, 2011

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Angels and God's Blessings to you Camdyn and wishes for a complete recovery.
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Nancy Kendrick
8:03 am on Thursday, April 7, 2011

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Keeping our fingers crossed for Camdyn! Christine has done a wonderful job with the Basket fundraiser- they are beautiful!!! Great job to all that helped out!
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tricia and steve robinson

6:54 am on Thursday, April 14, 2011

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Yeah for Camdyn!!!!!! We're all praying for you, and we're with you our "little friend." There's a spot at soccer waiting for you when your ready.. All the kids miss you.. Another great job Christine.. Your a great friend,so proud of all that you do for our community...
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Delaney
9:09 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012

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That is me

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Camdyn Dunn Keeps Fighting; Her Army of Supporters Keeps Helping - Branford, CT Patch

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