Climbing a mountain (or four) to help Rosie fight brain cancer

STERLING — A hike up four of the White Mountains may be a workout for three women raising funds for Rosie Mitchell’s medical expenses.

But it is nothing compared to the mountain Rosie is climbing in fighting a rare brain cancer.

“Less than a year ago, my daughter Rosie was going to prom, graduating from high school, selecting her college courses, and planning her dorm room,” Mary Lohman Mitchell said of her daughter’s normal life.

“All that turned on a dime when she awoke with an excruciating headache. A local ER dismissed her pain entirely; we knew better, and within hours she landed in the UMass ICU fighting for her life.

“The doctors there thought it was one of the worst cases of meningitis they had ever seen and were not hopeful she would survive. Two weeks later, she walked in her graduation from Parker Charter School, with a PIC line in her arm that was delivering what we thought were life-saving antiviral meds,” Mitchell said.

But Rosie’s graduation would be followed by more bad news.

“We knew something was still wrong and got her to Boston Children’s Hospital, where an MRI of her brain and spine confirmed the need for a biopsy of the leptomeninges (the Saran Wrap-like lining of the brain and spine).

“Sadly, that biopsy confirmed cancer,” Mitchell said.

The climb begins

No parent wants to hear the word 'cancer,' let alone, 'rare, no known cure.'

Rosie began a marathon of procedures: 10 weeks of chemotherapy, nine brain surgeries, eight weeks of experimental drugs.

“Months of radiation and the better part of the last 11 months spent inpatient in acute care at Boston Children’s, and we are now at Spaulding Rehab in Charlestown, where Rosemary works to regain mobility while continuing to fight for her life every day,” Mitchell said.

As chemo continues to help 19-year-old Rosie, “Our job is to hold the line on this tumor, and it’s hard work,” Mitchell said. “It’s 20-hour days. It’s constant fight or flight. It’s grabbing every warm hug and beautiful moment we can while teetering on the edge of hell.”

As Mitchell took on her mother’s role, friends and family helped.

“Blessed by the support of our friends, family, and those whose hearts have been touched by Rosie’s situation, I have not left her side since last year.

“I cannot imagine living through this without the love, prayers and support of every single person who has been kind enough to join Rosie’s fight,” Mitchell said.

“We have known the Quill girls since they were babies. They were junior bridesmaids in my wedding, held Rosie as a baby, and have been a constant source of love and joy in our lives.

“This climb is so much like the climb Rosie faces every minute of every day. God willing, some day Rosemary will walk with them, hike with them, and ‘bee’ cancer free.”

Supporters know cancer

"Anyone who has met the Lohman Mitchell family knows, when they enter a room they shower everyone with big, big love,” Erin Drew said.

“They are truly a source of light and love for so many, and they are SO strong. But this battle has been long and hard, and they need help right now. No one should have to worry about finances through something like this. Please help support us and Rosie in our hike to raise funds for this beautiful family, and this very, very strong, beautiful human being who is fighting for her life. Please help us shower them with the kind of love and support they have been spreading for years."

The three sisters — Drew, Trish Castro, Micaela Quill — have had their own experience with cancer. Their father has been battling cancer for the past three years. He has a rare form of Non-Hodgkins lymphoma and has undergone chemo and multiple procedures over the past two years, including a bone marrow transplant and a CAR T-cell transplant.

“He is in remission now. But we are familiar with the road they are traveling,” Drew said.

The fundraising hike

On May 13, they and others will hike four peaks in the White Mountains: Mount Tom, Mount Wiley, Mount Field and Mount Avalon.

It will be a hike of about 10.7 miles, rising to 3,500 feet of elevation gain, with three peaks over 4,000 feet.

“We will be hiking in honor of Rosie. We will walk because she cannot. We will climb mountains because she is climbing them every day. We hike to raise awareness and funds so that we can make a significant contribution to the family's existing fundraising efforts.”

The sisters grew up in Rutland.

“My mother and Mary Lohman Mitchell (Rosie’s mother) have been friends since before we were born. So she is like and aunt to us, and Rosie like a cousin,” Drew said.

“We will be hiking with my brother in law (Jorge Castro) and possibly Maralee Mitchell (Rosie’s sister). Others are welcome to join but it is a big hike, so they would need to be experienced hikers,” Drew said.

Donations are being accepted in advance but can also be made after the hike to continue fundraising for Rosie’ expenses. The GoFundMe page is https://gofund.me/8b8794cb.

“My sisters and I love to hike and have been hiking in the White Mountains for several years. We are making a slow attempt at completing the NH48 over 4000, and we have each done somewhere between 15 to 20 of them so far. We are participating in the Alzheimer’s longest day hike in June (a hiking fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Foundation), and it got me thinking 'Why can’t we do this for Rosie?' So, here we are,” Drew said.

Anyone hiking along the trails May 13 may see several people wearing the T-shirt the family has designed, which includes a link to the donation page for fellow hikers to visit.

This article originally appeared on The Landmark: Climbing a mountain to help Rosie fight brain cancer