Danielle Bergmann, a Columbia woman with a passion for animals, recently underwent lifesaving brain surgery to remove a tumor pressing on her pituitary gland, the community continuing to support her as she pushes to pay for her treatment.

As previously reported, Bergmann has dealt with health issues for most of her life, though issues with her body’s hormone production worsened in recent years, taking her away from a job she’s held for several years with the St. Louis Zoo.

After many largely unsuccessful doctor visits in St. Louis, Bergmann traveled to Los Angeles to see a doctor who discovered a pituitary microadenoma in her brain.

Having already made an expensive trip to California for the diagnosis, she was left to head to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Austin, Texas, for surgery that would ultimately cost her around $100,000.

Hitting around the halfway point of her $97,000 goal on GoFundMe – the total raised stands at $57,699 as of publication – Bergmann was accepted, and the surgery was performed Dec. 20.

On her GoFundMe page, Bergmann posted an update on her condition Dec. 22, reporting she had spent three and a half hours in the operating room for a surgery that removed the tumor along with a suspicious area of dark matter that raised concerns among the doctors.

Some of her pituitary gland also removed in the surgery, Bergmann went on to describe the tremendous pain she dealt with the night after the surgery.

Though her progress shortly after the surgery seemed to be going somewhat quickly – she spoke about sitting up a day after the procedure – Bergmann remains in recovery.

While folks have offered support for her on the GoFundMe page, a particularly notable fundraiser took place Dec. 23, with some of her family, friends and other members of the community gathering to promote the spirit of giving.

That evening, a combination carol and band event took place at the Rose House in Columbia, with members of the Columbia High School band family gathering to perform alongside singers who are close to Bergmann through her days in the school’s choir and theatre programs.

Jaime Miers, president of the Columbia Music Boosters, spoke at the event about Bergmann’s condition and explained how the event came together.

“We just felt like it was really important to bring people of all ages together to come and help her out.”

Nicole Avise-Rouse, a teacher at Columbia Middle School, was also present at the event and noted how her family had known Bergmann for some time through music and theatre in Columbia.

Her son, Columbia High School music teacher Kristian Avise-Rouse, was also present at the event to lead the band.

“They’re a family that I’ve known for a very long time,” Nicole said. “Just a very important part of our lives, and we want everyone to know what Danielle’s going through and try to help her.”

Nicole expressed hope that the event would show Bergmann just how many people in the community care for her.

“Danielle’s been sick a long time, and she began to feel like no one really cared,” Nicole said. “I think a lot of people just didn’t know how sick she was. If anything, this has shown how many people really love Danielle, and everyone wants the best for her and wants her to recover.”

This aspect of the event seemed to be rather successful, as Bergmann spoke with the Republic-Times to describe the positive impact seeing and hearing the event had on her – even in a bit of a haze following her surgery.

“It is incredibly helpful, in a time that feels so lonely and hopeless, to have so many friends and family from near and far help lift me back up and walk with me through this fight,” Bergmann said. “And though I was very out of it, seeing that Christmas display, friends, neighbors and especially my little brother all there brought ‘home’ to me all the way here in Texas. That was some of the best medicine.”

Those wishing to donate to Bergmann to help pay for the remaining cost of her care can do so at gofund.me/adf077a9.