#DonConquers

DON CHEATHAM'S HEALING JOURNEY CONTINUES - 1-23-2023

I want to say thank you for everyone's continuous prayers, support and encouragement as I continue my healing journey with pancreatic cancer. As I stated in my last video there is a procedure called Y90 that I need. It is a procedure where radiation beads are shot directly into the cancerous lesions that remain in my liver which will shrink and stop the spreading. In the past 2 months, I've been trying to get this procedure approved by our insurance. After being denied for a 3rd time, my only option is to pay for it out of pocket for $50,000 which is due on February 1st at the time of my procedure.

Please keep us in your prayers for safe travels to Denver for this procedure, that God covers the doctors and nurses performing the procedure and we can deal with this unexpected cost.

Where there is a will, God makes a way!

Love you!

DON CHEATHAM'S HEALING JOURNEY

Don, my dear husband of 10 years, was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer. He has a rare form called Acinar Cell, only 1% of all pancreatic cancer cases. His circle of friends/family and I would like to share how it all began to now a journey of healing. 

In early April 2022, Don experienced abdominal pain that led him to the ER. Blood work and a CT scan revealed lesions on his liver and a mass on his Pancreas. A biopsy was performed and a week later he received a cancer diagnosis. Don was devastated. His faith led him to pray to God to show him the way.

 

As Don prepared to move on his faith, God got to work lining things up. A friend and breast cancer oncologist graciously made a call to a colleague in Atlanta who helped explain the diagnosis and recommended getting opinions from the top pancreatic specialists in the country. Within days Don and I traveled with our two-year-old daughter to Houston, Texas, Scottsdale, Arizona, and New York to consult with some of the best in the field. Don chose the treatment plan of the renowned oncologist, Dr. Borazanci of HonorHealth in Scottsdale, AZ. He will receive a relatively new chemo treatment developed by Dr. Borazanci that is proven to be more successful than the standard options. The extensive nature of the treatment plan calls for him to be in Scottsdale for several months, thus requiring our family to temporarily relocate from Georgia to Arizona.

 

Don has been in treatment for 2 weeks now and is feeling good. He is mentally and spiritually prepared to go on this healing journey for the next 6 months. He is believing and trusts in God for complete healing and restoration which gives all of us hope and encouragement for a powerful testimony to come!

 

To know Don is to know a vibrant, active, healthy, and health-conscious young man with a huge heart, a big smile, and a love for people. Whether you’re family or friend, colleague or client, classmate or acquaintance, I’m sure this has been difficult to read. To live this experience has been surreal.

 

As our out-of-pocket expenses for cancer treatment, nutritionists, therapies, travel, relocation, housing, transportation, and childcare mount, we have quickly learned that insurance and our (loss of) income alone won’t begin to keep pace with today’s cost of care.

 

So many of you have reached out to learn how you can help and GoFundMe provides a way for his community of family and friends to support him on this journey. Don is so grateful to those of you who have already shared!

 

Don welcomes (and needs) your prayers, positive thoughts, survivor stories, and encouraging words during this time as well. Feel free to text or email him.

Please follow our #DonConquers FB page for updates and information. https://fb.me/DonConquers

 

We humbly thank and appreciate each of you,

Make every day count because every day MATTERS!  

 

 

 

Lisa Williams Cheatham