My name is Tonya. My friend Amy has been battling breast cancer for a little over a year now and it has taken a toll on her physically, mentally and financially. Her and her sister have been struggling to make ends meet. That both have struggled with their health.

They are both very selfless people who would do anything for anyone and I would love to help them financially.

Here is the most recent update from Amy’s fb page called Amy’s Army.

December 15th, 2023.

This date will always be a day that I will remember and look back as a day that changed my life.

One year ago I went in for a routine ultrasound on my breast. 2 months prior I had went to my family doctor to get a physical and I told her I had noticed some odd symptoms on my breast. Mostly a rash that would come and go & also my skin feeling different. She did an examination and said she had no concerns at all but I could go ahead and get an ultrasound before the end of the year since I was turning 40.

Since my doctor had no concerns, I really did not either. I didn’t really want to do the ultrasound but I scheduled and went in on the morning of December 15th, 2023 (6 days after my 40th birthday).

I went in and changed and was told to lay on the bed, the tech began the ultrasound and quickly said, “this is not good.” She said she needed to get the doctor but all she could say was- “it was not good.” She told me I could sit up in the chair for a few minutes. I sat up & As soon as she walked out of the room, without thinking, up out of my spirit and out of my mouth- I spoke, “I will live and not die.” All I could do is sit there and pray.

The doctor came in and did the ultrasound. She said they needed to do a mammogram as well. So they took me to do that. Then I was brought back into the ultrasound room, they told me they saw a large mass on the ultrasound and that they had called the surgical oncologist and she would see me in 2 hours. I went in to see the surgeon. She did a “punch test” of my breast tissue (they literally take something equivalent to a hole punch & punch holes in your breast skin). She said she couldn’t say for 100% sure the details but there was a mass and it was cancer.

From December 15, 2023 til today, things have been a whirlwind. For the past year, my life has been doctor’s appointments, months of chemotherapy, home healthcare nurses, surgeries, medications, fighting with insurance, fighting with disability (still on that fight ) and trying to hold onto hope for healing. It has been some of the hardest times of my life walking through all of this. It’s so hard to believe it’s been a year of all of this and I’m still fighting through. It was 5 days after this date that I found out the type of cancer I had & realized that there was a possibility of not surviving. I had to fight off a lot of fear and lies in my mind about dying… I just kept standing on the verse, I will live and not die. So this year as thanksgiving came around and last week, my birthday All I could do was just be so THANKFUL to see another year. I cannot even begin to explain the gratitude that has been felt to have another year. I am believing for many more

As I look back and reflect, I have to take a minute to be so grateful and thankful for so many things and people…

I thank God for His grace and peace. Through the majority of the time I have been at peace and known that God would see me through. I have placed all of my trust in Him.

I want to say, thank you so much to my sister, Angie who has been there through everything, being my rock and do everything for me. I could not have done it without you, I love you.

I truly wish I could list every single person I am thankful for or who has done something for me or has blessed me with something, brought food, sent a card, sent something off my wishlist, came for a visit or anything but I couldn’t even name everyone here (and I surely do not want to forget anyone). But thank YOU for all the prayers, support, blessings and every. single. thing. I am so grateful today and seriously ask God to bless each one that has done so much for myself and Angie.

My life has changed. I wish for normalcy and for things to not be so hard… but I am glad for a new thankfulness in each new day. I don’t take much for granted any longer.

As I continue to fight this fight and hopefully am able to finish healing from surgery (after 4 & 1/2 months) and get back into treatment, I just want do everything with a grateful heart. I cannot wait til I can testify of what God has done in me

If I could offer any advice~ I would say, appreciate and be thankful for the ones you love- make time for them, share Jesus with them & don’t take your health or the time on this earth for granted.

I will live & not die.

December 15th, 2024.