GoFundMe Hailey Merkt is in remission.
Former “Bachelor” contestant Hailey Merkt has shared a health update after she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.
On November 22, 2023, she took to her Instagram Stories to say that she is officially in remission.
“There was a 2% chance of this treatment working… And it f****** did! I am in remission!!!
To everyone that prayed, thought of me. Sent positive energy my way, sent words of encouragement… Thank you. I truly believe that the energy from everyone helped bring this miracle to life. It definitely gave me a lot of hope,” she wrote.
Merkt appeared on Nick Viall’s season of “The Bachelor.” She was sent home week two. Merkt celebrated her 31st birthday on November 4, 2023.
Here’s what you need to know:
Hailey Merkt Will Have a Stem Cell Transplant After the Holidays
Merkt first shared her cancer diagnosis in October 2023. She was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in August 2023. Her specific type of cancer has a mutation that makes it chemotherapy-resistant, which is why her initial course of treatment had such low odds of working.
According to the American Cancer Society, a patient diagnosed with “acute” leukemia has a “fast-growing” cancer.
“Really scared to post this but it’s time to let a lot of people that care about me know what’s happening with me,” she captioned a photo of her shaving her head. “I have leukemia, and there’s a pretty good chance I won’t make it,” she wrote on Instagram.
Now, Merkt will look ahead to the next course of treatment.
“Next steps are another round of this treatment, followed by a stem cell transplant after christmas. I will be out of commission for nearly a full year after the procedure. It’s still a long road ahead, but I’m so lucky to be able to ride it. I’m living in that 2% baby!!!!!” she wrote on her Instagram Stories.
Merkt is being treated at Vancouver General Hospital.
Hailey Merkt’s GoFundMe Has Topped $100,000
About two months after her original diagnosis, someone close to Merkt started a GoFundMe for her.
“We are urgently asking for your help. Hailey’s mother has left her job in Kitchener to come be with her only child. Already two months into this challenge, Hailey has accumulated an extraordinary amount of debt on top of her regular financial obligations,” reads a portion of the GoFundMe story.
“Hailey and her mom are just not able to manage the financial weight of this new treatment, the onslaught of other medical costs, and all the other life expenses that continue to bombard them,” the author of the post continued.
So far, people have donated more than $109,000 to help Merkt and her family through this undoubtedly challenging time. The top donation is from an anonymous user who generously gave $10,000 to help Merkt. Other donations range from $10 to $5,000. The initial GoFundMe goal was $100,000.
“Thank you so so so much for all the donations and shares of my go fund me. I couldn’t be more grateful,” reads Merkt’s Instagram bio.
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