Melinda Kolodinski, a 34-year-old woman, initially sought treatment for back pain that was believed to be related to her menstrual cycle. However, his situation changed drastically when he was diagnosed with a rare cancer a year later. Sadly, she died nine months after being diagnosed, leaving behind her husband and two young boys, aged 6 and 3.
The news of the diagnosis broke her heart and meant she would not be able to see her children grow up. “I was in the worst pain of my life,” Kolodinski said on social media after the cancer metastasized to his liver.
Despite the doctor’s prognosis, he refused to be hospitalized, and his mother, Tracy McClure, started a GoFundMe campaign to cover medical bills and provide comfort in Kolodinski’s final hours. Even after his death, people continued to contribute to the grieving family and support them in their future financial struggles.
It all started with Kolodinsky’s back pain, which he endured with Panadol so he could perform his duties as an account manager and support his family. However, in the last two months, the discomfort has increased.
Even after restarting Panadol in July 2022, unbearable pain came. Kolodinsky described it as a labor and begged her husband to stop suffering as she waited for paramedics to arrive.
By the time they arrived, the pain had subsided, and on the way to the hospital, Kolodynsky joked to her husband that it might be constipation. “I was much better, but the doctors decided to do a pelvic CT scan,” Kolodynsky recalls. “To my horror, when they found three tumors, they concluded I had ovarian cancer.”
However, his actual diagnosis turned out to be much more serious. After further examination, he was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma, a rare tumor that affects soft tissues and blood vessels.
This cancer usually presents as a secondary cancer on the surface of the skin and, according to her doctors, is much less common than a primary cancer in the hip. Because of its rarity, finding an effective treatment for hemangiosarcoma has been a major challenge. Kolodynsky was not considered a suitable candidate for clinical trials. After chemotherapy failed, doctors suggested a pelvic brace as a last resort to extend her life, although it did not directly affect the cancer.
Unfortunately, at the last minute, doctors determined that her tumor was too large for the operation to be successful. “There are no plans at this point,” he said in December 2022.
“I know cancer will take my life, but I want more time.” Kolodinsky spent the rest of his life cherishing every moment with his children and giving them the best possible start in life. “I want to continue working with my sons every day. In the past, if I was told to read a book while cooking dinner, I would multitask. Now let’s stop and dive into the book. I would love to take them on vacation and witness Corey’s school trip, but I’m not sure that’s possible.
His eldest son, Max, had health problems and underwent a series of surgeries to lengthen his legs.