Mom’s story:
In the late evening hours on July 17th, I was sitting in my living room expecting an important update from mom. After several days of anxiously waiting, it finally came...
“Well kids, I don’t have good news,” mom said. “The Dr. called and it is cancer.”
Hearing her muster up all the strength from within her, we sat together in shock while trying our best to process this information. With 5,364 miles between us (mom in Kansas and I in Rome), we shared raw and real tears from one phone line to the other while both of us sat there silently wishing neither of us had to receive this news.
The past three weeks for mom has been filled with days of grieving, processing raw emotions, navigating through the shock, earnestly praying, hoping, researching, changing her lifestyle drastically, and multiple trips to doctor appointments.
Mom has already shared that God has made Himself known in mighty ways. They are leaning heavily on Him through this journey. The surgeon had mom’s life verse in big letters on the wall. Jer. 29:11. What a beautiful gift from God in the midst of pain!
Mom’s complete healing plan is not confirmed at this time, but they are pursuing alternative treatments. Her type of breast cancer is the worst kind, not fueled by estrogen, and doesn’t respond to hormone treatments. Therefore, the treatment options are very limited to hard-hitting chemo and radiation. The odds are higher for recurrence. We know that we need an army of support from prayer warriors and financial warriors surrounding our parents. Cancer takes so much of a person’s emotions, time, and energy, but also a person’s financial resources. My family is aware that we cannot walk this journey alone. This is why we, as her children, are reaching out on her behalf, asking for you to come alongside our family both in prayer and your financial support during these challenging days.
--written by Monica Pauly on behalf of my siblings
Medical updates:
Although they can’t tell her a “stage” until after surgery, Mom thinks she has Stage IIB Breast Cancer with one lymph node being positive. She has already drastically changed her lifestyle, eating a plant-based diet along with many other components to build up her immune system. She’s currently receiving various immunotherapies to help fight the cancer. The next step is either surgery or cryoablation. She’s working with several doctors. After much research and prayer, they have decided to go to an inpatient clinic for two weeks that specializes in treating cancer. There, she would receive numerous immunotherapies and guidance on a course of action after returning home. The immunotherapies continue for at least six months after returning home.
How donations will be used:
Money raised through donations will be used for uncovered medical expenses, six months of Vitamin C - IV therapy, Mistletoe injections among a host of other immunotherapies, Cryoablation in CA, cost of the two-week stay at the cancer treatment center, organic food for the plant-based diet and juicing every day, childcare for our sister, Nicole, while mom and dad are at the different appointments/clinics, and any other unexpected expenses that arise.
Other ways to help:
-PRAY! Our family believes in the healing power of prayer. We ask that you surround our family in fervent prayer throughout the next few months of intense life transitions. Please pray for complete healing over mom in Jesus’ name, and for perseverance in this fight against cancer.
-BABYSITTING! Mom and dad have a great need for babysitters from time to time as they will have various appointments and the occasionally needed date nights away from the stresses of this journey. With all three of their eldest children living far away (Wisconsin, East Timor, and Italy), mom and dad find themselves without free-built-in-babysitters.
-SHARE! Please share our fundraiser so that more people within your sphere of influence can be allowed the opportunity to be a blessing to my parents.
Thank you:
As I mentioned before, we realize that we can’t go through this journey with our parents alone. We have already seen so many of you be a tremendous blessing to mom and dad in different ways. We are so grateful and continue to rejoice as we see God bringing family and friends around our parents through prayer, love, encouragement, and support. Thank you for being the community that we need!
Sincerely,
Seth & Antonia, Ethan & Leah, Jesse & Monica, and Nicole.
Note: To follow along with further updates please visit our CaringBridge website. https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katyharms
In the late evening hours on July 17th, I was sitting in my living room expecting an important update from mom. After several days of anxiously waiting, it finally came...
“Well kids, I don’t have good news,” mom said. “The Dr. called and it is cancer.”
Hearing her muster up all the strength from within her, we sat together in shock while trying our best to process this information. With 5,364 miles between us (mom in Kansas and I in Rome), we shared raw and real tears from one phone line to the other while both of us sat there silently wishing neither of us had to receive this news.
The past three weeks for mom has been filled with days of grieving, processing raw emotions, navigating through the shock, earnestly praying, hoping, researching, changing her lifestyle drastically, and multiple trips to doctor appointments.
Mom has already shared that God has made Himself known in mighty ways. They are leaning heavily on Him through this journey. The surgeon had mom’s life verse in big letters on the wall. Jer. 29:11. What a beautiful gift from God in the midst of pain!
Mom’s complete healing plan is not confirmed at this time, but they are pursuing alternative treatments. Her type of breast cancer is the worst kind, not fueled by estrogen, and doesn’t respond to hormone treatments. Therefore, the treatment options are very limited to hard-hitting chemo and radiation. The odds are higher for recurrence. We know that we need an army of support from prayer warriors and financial warriors surrounding our parents. Cancer takes so much of a person’s emotions, time, and energy, but also a person’s financial resources. My family is aware that we cannot walk this journey alone. This is why we, as her children, are reaching out on her behalf, asking for you to come alongside our family both in prayer and your financial support during these challenging days.
--written by Monica Pauly on behalf of my siblings
Medical updates:
Although they can’t tell her a “stage” until after surgery, Mom thinks she has Stage IIB Breast Cancer with one lymph node being positive. She has already drastically changed her lifestyle, eating a plant-based diet along with many other components to build up her immune system. She’s currently receiving various immunotherapies to help fight the cancer. The next step is either surgery or cryoablation. She’s working with several doctors. After much research and prayer, they have decided to go to an inpatient clinic for two weeks that specializes in treating cancer. There, she would receive numerous immunotherapies and guidance on a course of action after returning home. The immunotherapies continue for at least six months after returning home.
How donations will be used:
Money raised through donations will be used for uncovered medical expenses, six months of Vitamin C - IV therapy, Mistletoe injections among a host of other immunotherapies, Cryoablation in CA, cost of the two-week stay at the cancer treatment center, organic food for the plant-based diet and juicing every day, childcare for our sister, Nicole, while mom and dad are at the different appointments/clinics, and any other unexpected expenses that arise.
Other ways to help:
-PRAY! Our family believes in the healing power of prayer. We ask that you surround our family in fervent prayer throughout the next few months of intense life transitions. Please pray for complete healing over mom in Jesus’ name, and for perseverance in this fight against cancer.
-BABYSITTING! Mom and dad have a great need for babysitters from time to time as they will have various appointments and the occasionally needed date nights away from the stresses of this journey. With all three of their eldest children living far away (Wisconsin, East Timor, and Italy), mom and dad find themselves without free-built-in-babysitters.
-SHARE! Please share our fundraiser so that more people within your sphere of influence can be allowed the opportunity to be a blessing to my parents.
Thank you:
As I mentioned before, we realize that we can’t go through this journey with our parents alone. We have already seen so many of you be a tremendous blessing to mom and dad in different ways. We are so grateful and continue to rejoice as we see God bringing family and friends around our parents through prayer, love, encouragement, and support. Thank you for being the community that we need!
Sincerely,
Seth & Antonia, Ethan & Leah, Jesse & Monica, and Nicole.
Note: To follow along with further updates please visit our CaringBridge website. https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katyharms