Cancer Strikes Again Cheryl Kilgore

Hello, this is Randy Kilgore. By now, some of you have learned Cheryl is facing yet another battle with cancer, this one even more difficult than the first.  Five months after beating back endometrial cancer, doctors discovered a large tumor in her rectal wall; then discovered it had penetrated the wall and is in the lymph nodes. They also discovered a "more concerning" malignant polyp in her upper colon. Surgery is not presently an option for either. 12 weeks of chemo, then 6 weeks of daily radiation AND chemo, and then reassess for possible next steps. Right now it appears they can't treat both the colon and rectal cancers simultaneously, so it's possible she'll have to go through yet another process after all this. Please pray that her team is successful in their search to treat both cancers at once. 

At the same time, we must move from our present rental on 10 June.  At present, we don't know where we can move to, so we could use the eyes, ears and contacts of our North Shore (Massachusetts) friends and associates to help us find a place to live. Given the need to be near Lahey Hospital-Peabody for Cheryl's cancer treatments, we must stay in the area. If you know of missionary housing, friends with second homes or in-law apartments, churches with unused parsonages, carriage houses, etc., please let us know at rkkcakataoldotcom.  Ideally, we need two bedrooms for 3 adults up to a year during Cheryl's treatments, but will consider shorter options to bridge to a more permanent solution. We'd like to move Cheryl around as little as possible and have a peaceful place for her to rest as she fights cancer, so one move is best. Prayers from all of you for God to deliver this are appreciated. Thank you! (A team is coming this week to help pack, but we'll be putting out feelers for moving help sometime before the 10th.)  Please share this with any/all of your North Shore, MA, friends and contacts. Thanks!

Late-breaking news: I (Randy) have a lead on a job that starts in July.  It's entry level, without benefits, but it's got the flexibility for me to be with Cheryl during treatments and that's a HUGE blessing.

Many of you have already given sacrificially during Cheryl's round 1 fight with cancer; so we understand if you're unable to give again.  We've battled desperately to overcome the wave of challenges that seem unending, and we'll continue to fight, but once again we need your help.  Our major need is for help maintaining our health insurance and prescriptions/co-pays, which are over $3000/month, plus help getting our car repaired. (Estimated $4000), but we're facing difficult choices with all of our expenses. While meal trains are a blessing, special diets make them almost impossible.  More than anything, however, we need your prayers. For strength and healing for Cheryl, and for peace and a place to recover as well. Every gift is treasured.  

Final note: Below you'll find added information left from the round 1 cancer battle, when Jen and Peter Bayreuther hosted this Gofundme effort on our behalf. We felt it unfair to ask them to do so a second time, though they (and others) remain faithfully prepared to help.  Please forgive us if we miss a thank you note or reply to social media. We hope to catch up with each of you as time permits.  Thank you for your willingness to pray, and help in other ways as well.  Blessings, Randy Kilgore


The Need:  After nearly two decades of active ministry, Cheryl and Randy now find themselves at the very edge of fiscal, emotional and physical collapse.  With no reserves and very little extended family, the Kilgores have worked tirelessly to bring hope and help to people in need without ever asking for anything for themselves in return.  Three years ago, they began to experience a series of relentless health challenges that have cost them more than $80,000 in medical expenses beyond those covered by their health insurance. In 2016, Randy underwent open heart surgery to repair a life-threatening defective artery. Earlier this year, Cheryl was diagnosed with endometrial cancer, requiring major surgery and a lengthy recovery period. In between, Randy had two additional weeklong hospital stays, one to address gall bladder surgery and another to clear a blocked colon, Cheryl was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.  Our goal is to raise money to help them cover their medical bills, premiums, automobile repair, as well as groceries and utilities..  Smaller gifts will enable them to tackle specific items while larger gifts will help them pay the huge medical premiums and bills still coming in. 

A History of Helping: After nearly a decade with a Boston-based ministry that folded in 2006, Randy founded an international initiative, the Theology of Work Project, Inc. (www.theologyofwork.org), and Cheryl served as it’s Project Manager.  It’s initial goal was to provide commentary from each book of the Bible on what God teaches about work.  At the same time, the Kilgores founded Desired Haven Ministries, Inc.,  an evangelistic and discipleship organization aimed at helping people encounter and know the great love of God, with a specific emphasis on informing their work lives.  One of the highlights of their ministry are writings and teachings from Scripture useful in everyday life.  Because of their own inability to access certain helpful tools because of their cost, Cheryl and Randy have always believed God wanted them to make their resources available at little to no cost so no one was denied access regardless of their personal financial situation.  This sacrificial view, however, has often meant living on the edge of God’s provision week after week even when their health issues weren’t major.

Beginning in 2012, God began moving them beyond their more narrow focus on workplace ministry, calling them to spend more time writing for and ministering to the people who find themselves marginalized by organized religion. Of particular importance is their desire not to add to the fighting that presently dominates the public debates on the front lines of culture.  For example, with suicide rates increasing at a dramatic pace, Cheryl and Randy work to address some of the causes for the hopelessness that leads to this tragic action. This includes writing about best care and ministry practices already available, as well as developing new tools to help people cope with mental illness, addictions, anxiety and depression, and other issues of everyday life.  God has also called the Kilgores to provide support to Christians and others in the LGBTQ communities, including strengthening and building new bridges between families split by hard attitudes and harsh treatment by extremists in and out of the church.

In addition to new tools, Cheryl and Randy are eager to understand what help is already out there for the people they serve; and and how to build bridges between the people in need and services already available.  Their new website (www.IntersectionZ.com) not only provides a way for them to write about both the need and potential help, but also gives them a chance to spread the word about volunteer and giving openings that exist, all while building an online community of people who understand the issues and want to help.