Angie’s Battle Cry
Donation protected
If you know my mother, Angie, you know she is a Warrior. What you might not know is she has been battling thyroid cancer for over 20 years. We thought it was under control, but last year she noticed another tumor in her neck. So the battle began again. First, it was a battle to get a primary care physician. Then, another battle to get that physician to listen to her concerns. On June 15, we went out for ice cream and she lost her voice. Weird. We thought maybe something in the ice cream irritated her throat, or her allergies were acting up… but her voice has not returned. This bizarre turn of events got some attention (finally) from her physician and she was referred to Duke Oncology. Thankfully, the team at Duke sprang into action! After multiple appointments and screenings we received news that no one wants to hear - her voice is lost due to the tumor growth. Mom’s left vocal cords are completely paralyzed and the cancer has spread to her chest cavity and left lung. Surgery on the tumor might help, but there are no guarantees, and the cancer in her chest and lungs is inoperable.
This Thursday, August 22, Mom will have her 4th Radical Neck Dissection to remove as much of the cancer as possible. Recovering from surgery is her next battle, but the fight doesn’t end there!
She was (kind of) presented with 2 options:
(NOT AN OPTION) Chemotherapy: There is only one chemotherapy drug available, but it’s highly toxic with temporary and minimal benefits. The side effects are so bad, that this option is usually reserved for end of life patients with extremely limited quality of life. That’s not my Mom… she might not have a voice, but she’s still dancing in the kitchen, snuggling her grandkids, and teasing my Dad! Not only is this something she doesn’t want to do, her doctors do NOT recommend it and have encouraged her to explore other options…
OPTION #2, AntiCancer 360 Protocol:
This protocol is executed by a team of medical professionals who use a combination of naturopathic, homeopathic, and PROVEN therapies that attack the cancer at the root and heal her body naturally. The main concern with this option is that the cost and time commitment are significant and ongoing.
HOW CAN YOU HELP…
1. PRAY - Big, believing, unabashed, hope-filled prayers for the following:
2. ENCOURAGE - Do not waste a second of my mom’s time with pity or worry! Offer her hope in the form of words of affirmation and joy, great relaxing movie recommendations, stupid dad jokes and pranks to play on her grandkids, visits to goat farms, and delicious Mexican food.
3. RECOMMENDATIONS - my parents moved from CA to NC two years ago and are still unfamiliar with a lot of the area. I know there must be some alternative medicine resources - hyperbolic chambers, red light therapy, etc - but my medical experience and information is limited to military facilities. Please share any recommendations you have in this arena - preferably low cost!
4. PROMOTE STUMBO HVAC - Dad had a battle of his own when he moved his small business Stumbo HVAC here from out of state (FYI - North Carolina is one of THE HARDEST states to get an HVAC license - but he did it!). Right as his business was taking off in NC, mom started navigating this current situation. If you know my dad (even a little bit) you know he’d rather work 100 hours a day than ask anyone for money - and I’m a little concerned that he’ll disown me for making a GoFundMe account - so hire him, refer him, share his advertisements! Our hope is that he can land some large contracts in the area (including on the military base, so if you’re familiar with that process contact him directly)
5. SUPPORT FINANCIALLY - if you’ve done all the steps above, and want to do more, then this is your chance! My mom’s treatment has had a significant cost up front and will cost around $3,000/month for the rest of her life. It is really hard for me to put a “fundraising goal” on this because her life doesn’t have a dollar amount, but I would like to give my parents some financial breathing room.
The irony of my own profession is not lost on me right now… I’ve been working in holistic wellness for the military for a long time, and I know first-hand that Warriors battle better when they are afforded every opportunity for total health - mind, body, spirit, community, cognitive, and financial wellbeing.
My mom is one of the greatest warriors I know. Help me fund her Battle Cry!
This Thursday, August 22, Mom will have her 4th Radical Neck Dissection to remove as much of the cancer as possible. Recovering from surgery is her next battle, but the fight doesn’t end there!
She was (kind of) presented with 2 options:
(NOT AN OPTION) Chemotherapy: There is only one chemotherapy drug available, but it’s highly toxic with temporary and minimal benefits. The side effects are so bad, that this option is usually reserved for end of life patients with extremely limited quality of life. That’s not my Mom… she might not have a voice, but she’s still dancing in the kitchen, snuggling her grandkids, and teasing my Dad! Not only is this something she doesn’t want to do, her doctors do NOT recommend it and have encouraged her to explore other options…
OPTION #2, AntiCancer 360 Protocol:
This protocol is executed by a team of medical professionals who use a combination of naturopathic, homeopathic, and PROVEN therapies that attack the cancer at the root and heal her body naturally. The main concern with this option is that the cost and time commitment are significant and ongoing.
HOW CAN YOU HELP…
1. PRAY - Big, believing, unabashed, hope-filled prayers for the following:
- Routine and uneventful surgery ✅
- No vascular repairs needed ✅
- No nerve damage ✅
- Voice restored
- Quick and complete recovery
- Effective pain management
3. RECOMMENDATIONS - my parents moved from CA to NC two years ago and are still unfamiliar with a lot of the area. I know there must be some alternative medicine resources - hyperbolic chambers, red light therapy, etc - but my medical experience and information is limited to military facilities. Please share any recommendations you have in this arena - preferably low cost!
4. PROMOTE STUMBO HVAC - Dad had a battle of his own when he moved his small business Stumbo HVAC here from out of state (FYI - North Carolina is one of THE HARDEST states to get an HVAC license - but he did it!). Right as his business was taking off in NC, mom started navigating this current situation. If you know my dad (even a little bit) you know he’d rather work 100 hours a day than ask anyone for money - and I’m a little concerned that he’ll disown me for making a GoFundMe account - so hire him, refer him, share his advertisements! Our hope is that he can land some large contracts in the area (including on the military base, so if you’re familiar with that process contact him directly)
5. SUPPORT FINANCIALLY - if you’ve done all the steps above, and want to do more, then this is your chance! My mom’s treatment has had a significant cost up front and will cost around $3,000/month for the rest of her life. It is really hard for me to put a “fundraising goal” on this because her life doesn’t have a dollar amount, but I would like to give my parents some financial breathing room.
The irony of my own profession is not lost on me right now… I’ve been working in holistic wellness for the military for a long time, and I know first-hand that Warriors battle better when they are afforded every opportunity for total health - mind, body, spirit, community, cognitive, and financial wellbeing.
My mom is one of the greatest warriors I know. Help me fund her Battle Cry!
Organizer and beneficiary
Alyssa Hennessy
Organizer
Fayetteville, NC
Angela Stumbo
Beneficiary