Tish's Wish

My name is Tish Pegues and I live in Huntsville, Alabama. I have been married to my husband, Leigh, for over thirty years and we have two adult sons, Hunter (29), who lives near Seattle with his wife, Kayla, and our only grandchild, Lily (5), and our other son, Connor (23), who is a young Marine on his first deployment and stationed in Iraq.

Most of my career has been spent in sales and marketing, but the past eleven years I've been a development professional and have specialized in fundraising for nonprofit organizations. During the past two years, I have offered my services as a consultant for a variety of local organizations. My company is called Full Bloom Consulting, LLC, because I help these worthy groups learn how to reach their full potential. It has been a rewarding mission.

I had just started my little company and was busy living life when diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer on September 27, 2013. After nearly two years of rigorous treatments- including chemotherapy, multiple surgeries, and radiation, there was finally no evidence of disease in late February of 2015. Then, in July, the cancer returned with a vengeance. I'm now in treatment for the rest of my life with stage IV Inflammatory Breast Cancer. 

Far too many people continue to be diagnosed with cancer. Breast cancer is the second most deadly for women (lung cancer is first). A woman has a one in eight chance of this diagnosis in her lifetime. During this year, 231,840 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. Another 60,290 will be diagnosed with non-invasive (in situ) and 2,350 men will be also be diagnosed. Of these new cases, 85% will have no family history of the disease. I know my life will be shortened by this. More than 41,000 American women will die from it this year.

Cancer is full of unknowns. Here's what I DO know. I am a very fortunate person. My extensive treatments have not caused my family a financial hardship. My husband's employer, PNC Bank, has a great insurance plan and I have been able to receive excellent care at Clearview Cancer Institute and MD Anderson Cancer Center. When I take  lifesaving medicines, I don't have to worry about the costs. This is an immense source of comfort during such a stressful time. 

There are many cancer patients that are not so fortunate. Their financial burdens are as overwhelming as their illnesses. I cannot begin to imagine how hard this must be and I want to do something about it. 

During this fight, I have often wondered how I could use my vocation and talents for a greater good. I've decided that raising funds for the Russel Hill Foundation would be a worthy channel for this desire.

Financial partners are desperately needed to ease the burdens of cancer patients. My wish is that you will join me in making a difference, by giving generously to the Russel Hill Foundation, the fundraising arm of Clearview Cancer Institute. This foundation, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, was created in 2006. Its mission is to improve the health of the area through the support of bold, innovative cancer research, cancer education, and patient assistance. I want to concentrate on the patient assistance part of their mission with this effort that I'm calling Tish's Wish. Funds raised through this page will go directly to those who need it most, right here in our community.

To join in this effort, please click on this page to donate now. I would also appreciate it if you would share this information with others, particularly on social media. We will continue this mini campaign through the holiday season, ending on January 1, 2016.  If you choose to donate directly to the Russel Hill Foundation, please indicate that it is for Tish's Wish, so that we are able to track our progress. 

Thank you for your generosity. It means the world to me and to those that you will help.