CARMEL – Samantha Knapp, her husband Chris, and their newborn son Nico face a difficult road ahead, but with support from family, friends, and their community, they are determined to beat the odds.
The 36-year-old Samantha was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer while pregnant, forcing Nico to be delivered more than three months early.
The family’s ordeal began last summer when Samantha underwent emergency brain surgery to remove a mass that doctors initially hoped was benign. However, she received a devastating diagnosis: Grade 4 glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
Since undergoing surgery, Samantha has completed 30 rounds of radiation and continues taking chemotherapy medication. She is also working to regain her mobility and faces ongoing MRI scans as doctors watch her condition.
Nico remains in neonatal intensive care, where family friend Filomena Vasapolli said he is “working to grow stronger while his mother continues her own recovery.”
Chris Knapp has taken time off from work to provide Samantha with around-the-clock care while supporting their newborn son.
To help the Knapp family with their medical costs, Vasapolli initiated a GoFundMe page to collect donations.
“With Samantha’s ongoing treatments and recovery, along with Nico’s continued stay in the NICU, the emotional and financial burdens on their family are immense,” Vasapolli said. ‘No family should have to face so much at once, especially during what should be such a joyful chapter of their lives.”
Residents of the area have rallied behind the young family with the page collecting more than $110,000 within a few days.
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