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Pictured above are Bobby & Shelley Alexander on March 16, 2014. While aware they were in for a war, there was no way they knew how many battles would take place throughout the war.
The picture above was taken the week before Bobby started treatment for his stage IV squamous cell carcinoma in his throat. This battle included surgeries, intense chemo and radiation, and several months of a feeding tube. Bobby was forced to battle for his life, but in true Bobby fashion, he won.
Unfortunately, in April of 2015, while Bobby was winning his fight with cancer, Shelley was diagnosed with Stage II anal cancer. Like Bobby - surgery to remove tumors, chemo, and radiation were necessary in Shelley’s battle to ultimately win the Alexander war on cancer. In true Alexander fashion - Shelley won.
The all-clear on both Bobby & Shelley helped both return to some sort of normalcy in their lives. They were able to see their kids get married, go on trips with friends, see the births of grandkids, and much more.
But unfortunately in July of 2019 - another battle arose. Shelley was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer - the most aggressive form. Almost immediately - she underwent surgery and was yet again forced into chemo and radiation treatments.
October of 2019 brought yet another battle to the fold. Bobby was diagnosed with high grade spindle carcinoma - a cancer caused by the radiation from his first cancer in 2014.
While Shelley was receiving chemo and radiation for her cancer, Bobby had a major surgery to remove a section of his jaw and replace it with a plate. The surgery caused Bobby to get an infection while he was in the hospital, which then resulted in a blood infection and a lengthy stay in the ICU.
Bobby had to get his feeding tube put back in soon after.
From January 2020 to March 2020, both Bobby & Shelley were fighting their own individual battles and undergoing chemo & radiation treatments.
While recovering from aggressive chemo & radiation treatments for the both of them, the world threw them a curveball with COVID-19. With both having their health compromised, many times the only thing they could rely upon were each other.
But in October 2020, more battles arose. Shelley had a recurrence in her breast cancer and had a double masectomy in mid-November. She recently began an extreme form of chemotherapy that will have her bed-ridden for up to 10 days at a time. She must repeat this cycle 4 to 6 times, depending on her tolerance.
October also forced Bobby into a second surgery to remove more of his jaw and took muscle from his chest to replace the plate that was installed a year earlier. This required a tracheotomy and a 31 day hospital stay - with several of those days in the ICU.
Bobby still has his feeding tube - which requires different meds to be put in every three hours around the clock. His physical therapy and wound care must be done each day.
With Bobby’s need for around the clock care, Shelley being bedridden for days at a time, and a global pandemic making it difficult even for family to help out, Bobby and Shelley have sought out home healthcare, but are somehow struggling to find options that they qualify for.
They’ve both been forced into early retirement to fight this terrible disease. Now, they’ve contemplated even pulling from their retirement savings they’ve worked a lifetime for to be able to have home healthcare as an option as they endure yet another battle.
Nobody that has endured what Bobby & Shelley have endured should be forced to deal with financial stress in order to have the care that they need.
If you have the means & have it in your heart, Bobby & Shelley need our help to win this final battle and the war they’ve been on the frontlines of for years.
The picture above was taken the week before Bobby started treatment for his stage IV squamous cell carcinoma in his throat. This battle included surgeries, intense chemo and radiation, and several months of a feeding tube. Bobby was forced to battle for his life, but in true Bobby fashion, he won.
Unfortunately, in April of 2015, while Bobby was winning his fight with cancer, Shelley was diagnosed with Stage II anal cancer. Like Bobby - surgery to remove tumors, chemo, and radiation were necessary in Shelley’s battle to ultimately win the Alexander war on cancer. In true Alexander fashion - Shelley won.
The all-clear on both Bobby & Shelley helped both return to some sort of normalcy in their lives. They were able to see their kids get married, go on trips with friends, see the births of grandkids, and much more.
But unfortunately in July of 2019 - another battle arose. Shelley was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer - the most aggressive form. Almost immediately - she underwent surgery and was yet again forced into chemo and radiation treatments.
October of 2019 brought yet another battle to the fold. Bobby was diagnosed with high grade spindle carcinoma - a cancer caused by the radiation from his first cancer in 2014.
While Shelley was receiving chemo and radiation for her cancer, Bobby had a major surgery to remove a section of his jaw and replace it with a plate. The surgery caused Bobby to get an infection while he was in the hospital, which then resulted in a blood infection and a lengthy stay in the ICU.
Bobby had to get his feeding tube put back in soon after.
From January 2020 to March 2020, both Bobby & Shelley were fighting their own individual battles and undergoing chemo & radiation treatments.
While recovering from aggressive chemo & radiation treatments for the both of them, the world threw them a curveball with COVID-19. With both having their health compromised, many times the only thing they could rely upon were each other.
But in October 2020, more battles arose. Shelley had a recurrence in her breast cancer and had a double masectomy in mid-November. She recently began an extreme form of chemotherapy that will have her bed-ridden for up to 10 days at a time. She must repeat this cycle 4 to 6 times, depending on her tolerance.
October also forced Bobby into a second surgery to remove more of his jaw and took muscle from his chest to replace the plate that was installed a year earlier. This required a tracheotomy and a 31 day hospital stay - with several of those days in the ICU.
Bobby still has his feeding tube - which requires different meds to be put in every three hours around the clock. His physical therapy and wound care must be done each day.
With Bobby’s need for around the clock care, Shelley being bedridden for days at a time, and a global pandemic making it difficult even for family to help out, Bobby and Shelley have sought out home healthcare, but are somehow struggling to find options that they qualify for.
They’ve both been forced into early retirement to fight this terrible disease. Now, they’ve contemplated even pulling from their retirement savings they’ve worked a lifetime for to be able to have home healthcare as an option as they endure yet another battle.
Nobody that has endured what Bobby & Shelley have endured should be forced to deal with financial stress in order to have the care that they need.
If you have the means & have it in your heart, Bobby & Shelley need our help to win this final battle and the war they’ve been on the frontlines of for years.
Organizer and beneficiary
Tony Adragna
Organizer
Indianapolis, IN
Shelley Alexander
Beneficiary