See A Specialist, Cancer Has Spread
Hi, my name is Christine, better known as “Aunt Chris”. I have the sweetest Niece in the world, formerly named Angela, but who goes by “Happy Angie”. I have never met a more positive, loving, giving, and *Smiling* person in my life. I have always called her “My Angel on Earth”, because she brings such joy and love to everyone she touches, and she is always giving of herself.
She has not had an easy life. She is the oldest of 8 children raised by a single mom struggling to get by. She has had to sacrifice numerous things in her life to help out, and she has done without many times. She took on a lot of responsibility at a very young age, and yet she was nicknamed, “Happy Angie” because she always made the best of things, and helped to make her brothers and sisters feel safe and loved.
Fast forward to 2007, when Happy Angie was almost 27 years old, and happily married with two sweet young boys. She started having a lot of pain in her mouth and throat, and after months of trying to find out what was causing all of her pain, they still didn't know. It wasn't until she saw a doctor in Columbia that she found out she had oral lichen planus. The three words I despise to hear!
It is so rare for her to have this at such a young age and never having drank or smoked. This is a very rare auto immune disease where the immune system attacks anywhere in your mouth. It is even rarer that it has turned into cancer.
She had to have major radical neck dissection and partial glossectomy surgery. Basically, They removed all of her lyphnodes in her neck, and part of her tongue. 6 Weeks later she had to have daily radiation and chemotherapy. 
Since then she has had 9 MORE surgeries, to remove more of the cancer in her tongue and mouth tissue. She has endured daily radiation at times, and she has fought through all of this, raising two wonderful little boys, attending church every Sunday, and joining in on Cancer Charity Events, to help fund cancer research. Always holding her head high with a smile for others, through all of her pain.
By 2008, she was at Stage 4. By the miracle of God, and everyone who loves her, she is still fighting. She will fight until there is no cancer left!
Two weeks ago we found out that the surgery she just had removing yet even more of her tongue, revealed that the cancer had spread deep into the tissue of her mouth, and into her jaw. They aren’t sure if it has spread more than that yet. They scheduled a very invasive, aggressive surgery for Dec 7th.
Feeling hopeless, the phone rang, it was a famous doctor in Chicago that is well known for helping/saving patients with advanced Oral lichen planus. Angie had been trying to get an appointment with him for many months. This is the miracle we were praying for. She has suffered too long, and her children and husband really need her, her brothers and sisters really need her, along with so many others she has touched.
She will be driving with her husband to Chicago for this consultation on Nov 19th, 2015.
I am trying to raise money for her upcoming travel to Chicago, seeing this well-known specialist, and any other required medical treatment, travel, or items to make her comfortable. We all know that after one surgery you end up with 4 or 5 bills minimum from the hospital, the physician, the anesthesiologist, and the pathologist, etc.. It can be insurmountable for anyone. If by some miracle we are able to collect more than enough, we’d like the rest to aid in raising her children, as she cannot ever work.
Any donation will help, anything! For My Angel on Earth, for My Happy Angie, please find it your heart to help her find hope for her future. If you can’t donate, prayers will be just as appreciated.
Thank you all more than you could know,
Christine, AKA “Aunt Chris”
Her sons.
Happy Angie helping on a school field trip.