What: Dance for Dawn - A Fundraiser at North Beach Social
When: Saturday, February 25, 2023
Time: 9:00 am to 9:00 pm
Where: North Beach Social
North Beach Social will host an all day fundraiser for beloved locals Dawn and Mike Whitty February 25, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. There will be live music all day by local musicians who have offered to come play. Guests will also enjoy great food and drink specials. A portion of the sales will go to support Dawn and Mike.
The Facebook event will be updated as musicians are added.
Location:
North Beach Social
24200 U.S. Hwy 331 S.
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
Below is Dawn's story, written in her own words.
In the summer of 2021, My life, as I knew it, came to a big ole screeching halt. Growing up as a competitive swimmer and “somewhat” avid Yogi in my later years, I had never experienced “back pain”. So when I woke one morning in June in 2021 with massive abdominal and lower back pain, I ended up in the ER pleading for some answers. Unfortunately, no answers from Sacred Heart that day, just a script for opioids that sent me on a wild goose chase to find answers as to why I was unable to walk due to my massive lower back pain. A month goes by and I end up in a spine surgeon’s office where I find out that a malignant tumor has completely invaded and fractured my L-4 vertebra. This tumor is called a plasmacytoma and is also where my cancer journey began and my 30 year photography career became completely frozen . What most friends do know is that I went on to have 3 emergency spine surgeries in 2 months. The first surgery was a fusion of L-3 to L-5, 2nd was a blood clot from the tumor, and 3rd an anterior surgery to put a cage in place of my L-4 vertebra all performed by Dr Aaron Creek, whom I owe saving my butt in all \ emergency situations. He went above and beyond to help me through all of the spine trauma. That September and October 2021 I went through 25 radiation treatments right on top of that fresh surgery ... OUCH.
What comes next for someone with a plasmacyetoma is a bone marrow biopsy. I had heard of these and always thought my Lord this sounds unbearable! After a couple of these bone marrow biopsy’s in the winter of 2022, one here locally and one at Vanderbilt in my home town-Nashville, I was diagnosed with a disease called multiple myeloma. I had never heard of it. In simple terms it’s one of the blood cancers. Vanderbilt wanted to act fast and insisted I have a bone marrow transplant immediately after my first round of treatment in May of 2021. It was shocking and overwhelming and way too quick for me to make such a huge decision.
I spent last summer 2022 doing more treatment for my cancer and researching my disease and the best doctors in the field. I ended up having 3 different opinions, in addition to Vanderbilt from different Multiple Myeloma research hospitals including Miami and Emory and my own local oncologist / hemotologist, Dr Mose Hayes, whom I could not have gotten through this past year without his compassion and big Humor.
After much prayer and family input, I decided to put my trust in Dr Sagar Lonial at Emory in Atlanta, whom shared with me that my best chance for a long life is to move forward with a bone marrow transplant. He also allowed Mike and I to schedule it when it was the best timing for our family due to Mike’s work and Chap’s school. I am currently in my 2nd week of the transplant, which means that I got to move out of the hospital and stay here in Atlanta for the next 2 weeks. The transplant went well and my stem cells have found their way to my bone marrow!! Success ! Now I have to give my immune system 3-6 months to slowly heal itself .
We are a dual income family and It’s been over 18 months since I have been able to work. The silver lining is that I am living day to day and I have faith that God will lead me to my new path.
My family and friends have been beyond amazing and Mike and are humbled by the outpouring of love and support. As Ringo wrote many years ago. I Get By with a little help from my Friends.
When: Saturday, February 25, 2023
Time: 9:00 am to 9:00 pm
Where: North Beach Social
North Beach Social will host an all day fundraiser for beloved locals Dawn and Mike Whitty February 25, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. There will be live music all day by local musicians who have offered to come play. Guests will also enjoy great food and drink specials. A portion of the sales will go to support Dawn and Mike.
The Facebook event will be updated as musicians are added.
Location:
North Beach Social
24200 U.S. Hwy 331 S.
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
Below is Dawn's story, written in her own words.
In the summer of 2021, My life, as I knew it, came to a big ole screeching halt. Growing up as a competitive swimmer and “somewhat” avid Yogi in my later years, I had never experienced “back pain”. So when I woke one morning in June in 2021 with massive abdominal and lower back pain, I ended up in the ER pleading for some answers. Unfortunately, no answers from Sacred Heart that day, just a script for opioids that sent me on a wild goose chase to find answers as to why I was unable to walk due to my massive lower back pain. A month goes by and I end up in a spine surgeon’s office where I find out that a malignant tumor has completely invaded and fractured my L-4 vertebra. This tumor is called a plasmacytoma and is also where my cancer journey began and my 30 year photography career became completely frozen . What most friends do know is that I went on to have 3 emergency spine surgeries in 2 months. The first surgery was a fusion of L-3 to L-5, 2nd was a blood clot from the tumor, and 3rd an anterior surgery to put a cage in place of my L-4 vertebra all performed by Dr Aaron Creek, whom I owe saving my butt in all \ emergency situations. He went above and beyond to help me through all of the spine trauma. That September and October 2021 I went through 25 radiation treatments right on top of that fresh surgery ... OUCH.
What comes next for someone with a plasmacyetoma is a bone marrow biopsy. I had heard of these and always thought my Lord this sounds unbearable! After a couple of these bone marrow biopsy’s in the winter of 2022, one here locally and one at Vanderbilt in my home town-Nashville, I was diagnosed with a disease called multiple myeloma. I had never heard of it. In simple terms it’s one of the blood cancers. Vanderbilt wanted to act fast and insisted I have a bone marrow transplant immediately after my first round of treatment in May of 2021. It was shocking and overwhelming and way too quick for me to make such a huge decision.
I spent last summer 2022 doing more treatment for my cancer and researching my disease and the best doctors in the field. I ended up having 3 different opinions, in addition to Vanderbilt from different Multiple Myeloma research hospitals including Miami and Emory and my own local oncologist / hemotologist, Dr Mose Hayes, whom I could not have gotten through this past year without his compassion and big Humor.
After much prayer and family input, I decided to put my trust in Dr Sagar Lonial at Emory in Atlanta, whom shared with me that my best chance for a long life is to move forward with a bone marrow transplant. He also allowed Mike and I to schedule it when it was the best timing for our family due to Mike’s work and Chap’s school. I am currently in my 2nd week of the transplant, which means that I got to move out of the hospital and stay here in Atlanta for the next 2 weeks. The transplant went well and my stem cells have found their way to my bone marrow!! Success ! Now I have to give my immune system 3-6 months to slowly heal itself .
We are a dual income family and It’s been over 18 months since I have been able to work. The silver lining is that I am living day to day and I have faith that God will lead me to my new path.
My family and friends have been beyond amazing and Mike and are humbled by the outpouring of love and support. As Ringo wrote many years ago. I Get By with a little help from my Friends.
