Jenna Hinman, Fort Drum, NY

2014 Spaghetti Dinner for Jenna Event Recipient

One can only imagine what it’s like to have your husband return home from the military coupled with the excitement of starting a new family. It should be a joyous and happy time for everyone! Instead Jenna and Brandon Hinman's world was unexpectedly turned upside down. Jenna was in her 30th week of pregnancy when she went into premature labor on March 3rd 2014. Jenna was rushed to the Emergency Room and delivered her twin baby girls within an hour of arrival via emergency C-section. Due to the babies’ premature birth, they were whisked away to the NICU with Jenna only getting a quick glimpse of her newborns, both in good health. Soon after the delivery Jenna began having difficulty breathing and the situation quickly escalated from fear that she had pneumonia to a realization that she was fighting for her very life. Jenna was placed in a medically induced coma on Thursday, March 6th 2014. It was then that the family learned that Jenna was suffering from a rare, pregnancy-related cancer called choriocarcinoma, which had filled her body with tumors and lesions. The cancer was complicated by her chest/lung infection, which had caused her to bleed internally and her lungs’ ability to function had deteriorated to the point where they are rendered temporarily useless. To combat this cancer and infection combination Crouse Hospital ICU formed a team of prestigious local and international medical professionals. Unfortunately, On May 5th, after a 2 month fight, Jenna passed away. Funds collected during the spaghetti dinner went towards supporting her husband and their newborn twins.