July 2023:

Dear Family and Friends,

In February, my good friend Lisa setup this GiveSendGo to enable my Mom, Debbie, to go to Mexico for three weeks of treatment at a cancer clinic there. After three weeks of treatment in Mexico, all of her pain was alleviated, she could walk without assistance, and the scan showed her cancer lesions were reduced from 7 to 1.

In March, we returned to Tennessee, where Mom continued treatments. For the first month back, Mom felt great, her energy was improved, and her night sweats and itching (caused by her cancer) had all subsided. In April, her night sweats and itching returned, so she began a new treatment protocol with the doctor in TN, and I called a few clinics in Arizona to get more information in case we would come to need it. Mom continued treatments in Tennessee in April, May and June and, over the course of the three months didn’t seem to improve that much.

On July 3, her bloodwork showed an extremely elevated C-Reactive Protein (CRP) level. The liver releases CRP into the bloodstream in response to inflammation. Inflammation often directly correlates to the development and/or progression of cancer. Thankfully, everything worked out for Mom to start at the clinic on July 11. We anticipate Mom will need at least 4 weeks of treatment.

As we have talked with family and friends, they have asked how the could help. The best way I know to ask for help is to re-share this GiveSendGo, because it requires the least amount of time/effort for us at this time. For the Mexico clinic, Lisa set goal of $10,000 and you all gave $19,000, which blew us away. For the Arizona clinic, we set a new target of $26,000, as Mom’s treatments here are about $7,000/week, so we added $7,000 (cost of treatments for one week) to the existing $19,000/year to set the new target amount.

Above all, we appreciate your prayers, love, and friendship the most.

Warm regards, Debbie and Carolyn

February 2023:

Dearest reader: I have known Carolyn for over a decade; we met as Fellows in the C.S. Lewis Fellowship Program in Annapolis and, although two generations apart in age, we have remained close companions and sisters-in-Christ ever since. I have walked beside her this past tumultuous 18 months and felt her extreme sorrow over the sudden loss of her father last February and now the courageous cancer fight with her mother. Because insurance does not recognize cancer treatments outside the scope of chemo and radiation, Carolyn is financially shouldering the lion's share of the holistic care, as well as losing pay while she travels with her mother. The three weeks of holistic treatment in Mexico is $10,000 a week for $30,000 in total. My prayer is that we can raise at least one week of treatment for Carolyn's mother and help ease the stress of the financial cost. Would you please consider a donation to help Carolyn and her family? Carolyn shares her journey below under "Read more."

Thank you and God Bless! Lisa Tubridy

Dear Family and Friends,

In speaking with my dear friend Lisa a few days ago, she suggested we set up this campaign to help raise funds for the next step in my Mom’s cancer care. Below, I will do my best to briefly share Mom’s story in her battle with cancer:

In the summer of 2021, Mom began to experience sharp pain in her back. Without doing a thorough examination, the doctor told Mom she needed physical therapy. Within 6 weeks of PT, Mom went from walking on her own to requiring a cane, then a walker, then a wheelchair. In October 2021, my father again spoke with the doctor, who finally ordered an MRI. The MRI showed that Mom’s L3-L4-L5 had been significantly eaten away and revealed what appeared to be cancer. A couple days later, Mom went into surgery, where doctors fused her L3-L4-L5 to her sacrum, confirmed it was cancer that had eaten away at her spine, and biopsied the tissue to confirm a Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) diagnosis. In December of 2021, Mom began chemotherapy. My Dad, an amazing husband and father, became Mom’s caretaker in every way. In February 2022, my father himself got sick and suddenly, unexpectedly and tragically passed away. Dad’s passing has been so difficult for us all, but especially for my Mom to walk through this cancer journey without him physically by her side. When our eyes fill with tears, missing his presence, Mom, Rob (my brother) and I remind ourselves of the assurance he is in Heaven; and, if given the choice, Dad wouldn’t leave Heaven to come back here. We know the Lord walks alongside us through each step of this journey, but I also believe Dad is with us, watching over us, and cheering us on in the good fight here.

In February 2022, I moved in with Mom and she continued chemo through May 2022. From June - July 2022, Mom underwent radiation treatments 5 days a week for 5 weeks. In August, the doctor told us Mom’s HL was in remission. Unfortunately, a check-up PET scan in October 2022 showed the cancer had returned and now appeared to be more aggressive in nature. After much consideration, we moved Mom’s care from Knoxville to Nashville (where I live) and opted to work with a doctor who practices alternative integrative oncology. Mom has received treatments here in Nashville for the last 6-7 weeks and looks healthier than she has in a very long time; however, she has developed persistent pain in her hips. A few weeks ago, Mom had another PET scan, which showed a reduction in cancer in all of the areas from the October PET scan, but also showed a few new areas of cancer in the left and right femurs. In consultation with a traditional oncologist in Nashville, his office proposed a 6-month cycle of extremely aggressive chemo that, in short, we do not believe will yield favorable results. The side effects are severe, some of which may never go away, and there is still a likelihood of recurrence after treatment.

As such, with information from the integrative oncologist, Mom has decided to receive three weeks of treatments at a well-respected holistic cancer treatment hospital in Tijuana, Mexico. The stories of patients who have spent time here are stories of healing, hope, courage and faith and the integrative oncologist has seen excellent results in patients who have received care there. It was news to me that Tijuana is the “capital of holistic cancer research and care”. There are multiple hospitals there that treat this way and they are doing amazing things to help fight cancer, without making patients more sick in the process. While it is unconventional to some, much thought, prayer, and research has gone into this decision. We are excited for Mom to receive care at this hospital and hopeful that her outcomes will enable her to regain health and vitality and remember what life without pain is like. Mom and I leave next week and she will begin the first of three weeks of treatment in late January!

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for praying for us and for Mom’s healing or contributing, as you feel led/able. Your friendship, prayers, cards, and support have been so encouraging and are so appreciated.

Warm regards,

Carolyn

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. ~ James 1: 2-4

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. - Isaiah 41:10

This campaign is unpublished.

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