SANFORD — “Stunned.” That was how Susan Lavertu-Sansevieri described her reaction on Jan. 18, when she discovered from her doctor the source of her frequent headaches: Clivus chordoma, a rare cancerous tumor on her spine, at the base of her neck.
“It’s about the size of two golf balls in a space where a walnut would have a hard time fitting in,” she said, which, in addition to the headaches, causes occasional double-vision and dizziness.
A discovery like that is enough to dampen anyone’s spirits, but Lavertu-Sansevieri ”“ a Sanford business owner with deep ties to the community ”“ is determined to keep a positive attitude. In fact, she was positively bubbling with good cheer on Friday night at the Sanford AMVETS Post, as friends, family and others packed into the hall for a benefit in her honor.
Orchestrated in part by her niece, Tina King, the benefit served as both a get-together with those who have meant so much to Lavertu-Sansevieri over the years, and as a fundraiser for a possible surgery that would remove much of the tumor from her spine.
Lavertu-Sansevieri has to raise the money for the surgery herself, because she says the insurance company simply won’t pay.
“We actually signed up for health insurance before this (happened),” she said, “and they say it’s a pre-existing condition.”
For a woman with her determination, the insurance company’s refusal to cover surgery costs was not so much a blow as it was a challenge.
Peggy Bannon, who has been best friends with Lavertu-Sansevieri since the two were 5 years old, had the highest praise for her perseverance.
“She’s probably the strongest person I’ve ever met,” said Bannon. “The day she found out (about the tumor), she called and said, ”˜I need to see you.’”
The lifelong friends shared a necessary moment of emotion, and Bannon said that Lavertu-Sansevieri has been upbeat ever since, focusing on the fund-raising challenge as a way to stay positive about the task ahead of her.
“It’s not about her,” said Bannon, talking about her best friend’s unselfishness. “She’s a great inspiration to everyone else.”
As friends and loved ones packed the AMVETS hall, that was the overwhelming consensus.
Music thumped from the DJ’s corner as he donated his time and services, free of charge, to play a mix of mostly classic rock and dance tunes. The assorted smells of baked goods and other foods mingled to create a mouth-watering potpourri. Donation jars were stuffed to the brim with bills ”“ many of them not adorned by the austere visage of George Washington ”“ not surprisingly, considering the devotion of Lavertu-Sansevieri’s friends.
“She’s kind and fair, but when she needs to stand and fight, she will,” said Lisa Willis, who befriended Lavertu-Sansevieri when she was 12. “She taught me how to become a good woman.”
And then there are the things Lavertu-Sansevieri can’t teach, such as how to make her famous Thanksgiving gravy.
“There’s no way in hell I’m making turkey gravy without her,” said Kathy Lavertu, Lavertu-Sansevieri’s sister-in-law. “Every year, she makes the gravy, and I’m not doing it.”
King, Lavertu-Sansevieri’s niece, said organizing the benefit was a matter of “making a lot of phone calls,” and because Lavertu-Sansevieri is a business owner ”“ she operates Shear’s Delight Hair Salon ”“ generating support for the event was easy.
“It rolled together really well,” said King. “People are being very, very generous.”
King doesn’t know how much money will allow her aunt to undergo the necessary surgery to remove the bulk of the tumor, and even then, more work will have to be done; it will require radiation treatment to eradicate the rest of the tumor, and being vigilant about a possible recurrence of the cancer will be a lifelong process.
But everyone at the AMVETS on Friday night hoped that the benefit would go a long way toward seeing Lavertu-Sansevieri achieve that goal.
In the meantime, the family has set up a fund and has encouraged members of the community to donate. Those interested in making a donation can send it to the Lavertu-Sansevieri Family Fund, Sanford Institution For Savings, P.O. Box 472, Sanford, ME, 04073.
As Lavertu-Sansevieri deals with her condition, she does so with a smile.
“I’ve got a beautiful daughter, a wonderful husband ”¦ negative energy just seems like wasted energy,” she said. “I would like to make a personal thank-you to everyone here tonight.”
The feelings of goodwill were reciprocal.
“She is so loved,” said Bannon. “Her will is just above and beyond. I love her with all my heart.”
— Staff Writer Jeff Lagasse can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 319, or at jlagasse@journaltribune.com.
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