Melinda Kolodynski, a 34-year-old woman, initially sought medical attention for back pain that she attributed to her menstrual cycle. However, her condition took a devastating turn when she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer a year later.
Tragically, just nine months after her diagnosis, she passed away, leaving behind her husband and two young sons, aged six and three.
The news of her diagnosis filled her with sorrow, as she expressed the heart-wrenching sentiment of being unable to witness her children grow up.
“I was enduring the most excruciating pain of my entire life,” Kolodynski shared on social media after the cancer had spread to her liver.
Despite the prognosis given by doctors, which she refused to accept, her mother, Tracey McClure, created a GoFundMe campaign to help cover medical expenses and ensure Kolodynski’s comfort during her final hours. Even after her passing, people continued contributing to the grieving family, supporting their future financial challenges.
It all began with Kolodynski’s back pain, which she initially managed with Panadol, allowing her to fulfill her responsibilities as an account manager and support her family. However, over two months, the discomfort intensified.
Even after retaking Panadol in July 2022, the pain reached an unbearable level. Kolodynski described it as akin to giving birth, pleading with her husband to end her suffering while they awaited the arrival of paramedics.
By the time they arrived, the pain had subsided, and as they headed to the hospital, Kolodynski jokingly told her husband that it was probably constipation.
“I was feeling much better, but the doctors decided to perform pelvic CT scans to investigate,” Kolodynski recalled. “To my shock, they concluded that I had advanced ovarian cancer upon discovering the presence of three tumors.”
However, her actual diagnosis proved to be much more severe. After further testing, she was diagnosed with angiosarcoma, a rare cancer affecting the soft tissues and blood vessels.
Typically, this cancer manifests as a secondary malignancy on the skin’s surface, making her case, with primary cancer in her pelvis even rarer—almost one in ten million, according to her doctor.
Due to its rarity, finding an effective treatment for angiosarcoma presented a significant challenge. Kolodynski was not considered a suitable candidate for any clinical trials.
When chemotherapy proved unsuccessful, doctors recommended a major pelvic exenteration procedure as a last resort to potentially prolong her life, even though it wouldn’t address cancer directly.
Sadly, at the last moment, the doctors deemed her tumor too significant for the procedure to succeed. “At this point, there is no plan,” she declared in December 2022.
“I know that cancer will claim my life, but all I want is more time.” Kolodynski made the most of the remaining years of her life by cherishing moments with her children and ensuring they had the best possible start in life.
She explained, “I want to continue doing everyday things with my boys. In the past, if they asked me to read a book while preparing dinner, I would multitask.
Now, I pause and immerse myself in the book. I wish to take them on vacations and witness Corey’s school journey, but I’m unsure if it will be possible.”
Her eldest son, Max, faced his own health challenges, undergoing a series of surgeries to lengthen his leg.
