Heather & Caleb - Cancer Warriors

Twenty-three years ago as she was graduating from college and planning her wedding, our friend Heather was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma and treated with 21 doses of radiation to attack that cancer.  Now, twenty-three years later, Heather has contracted a known but rare Radiation-Induced Sarcoma (RIS) AS A RESULT of receiving that same radiation.  This is an extremely rare and aggressive form of cancer and she has undergone 3 surgeries (including a mastectomy) to cut it out.  Unfortunately, after the mastectomy, the cancer has grown internally into her muscle and chest wall.  She has undergone 3 doses of chemotherapy, but to no avail. Conventional medicine has run its course.  The family is now seeking a promising Sarcoma cancer treatment outside of the United States. 

Simultaneous to Heather's diagnosis, Heather and her husband Andy's oldest son of six children, Caleb, 18, was diagnosed and is now being treated for THE VERY SAME CANCER Heather had all those years ago (Hodgkin's Lymphoma), despite the fact that it is not a genetic cancer.  Caleb has completed 5 rounds of very strong chemotherapy yet there are still two spots around his heart that the doctors would like to attack with radiation - THE VERY SAME PROTOCOL THAT CAUSED HEATHER'S SECOND CANCER!!!!  

After discussing their concerns about radiation in this case with Caleb's doctors, Heather and Andy and the physicians have agreed upon a new cancer treatment protocol (Proton Therapy).  That treatment is not available locally and there are many costs involved to get Caleb to where he needs to go.  But first, through miraculous circumstances that only God can orchestrate, before Caleb begins Proton Therapy here, he will join his mom at a cancer treatment center outside of the U.S. for a few weeks.  He is a strong young man both physically and spiritually, but one can only imagine how difficult it must be on him to fight for his life while watching his mom fight for hers.  

But. God. 

For every step of this journey, we have been privileged to see the hand of God direct Heather and Caleb's steps.  The story is in the miraculous details:  passports being issued on the spot, airplane tickets being provided with airline miles that were just sitting there for such a time as this, flights available on short notice, side-by-side rooms provided at the cancer clinic outside of the U.S. where there is usually a long waiting list, doctors here on board and in agreement with the next steps of the treatment plan, people stepping forward to provide meals, house cleaning, and childcare  for months, and funds provided by loving people at just the right time, and on and on and on.  Won't you join in this story? 

Andy and Heather have five other children between 5 and 16 years old.  Andy is self-employed, but has obviously had to devote a large portion of his time to caring for Heather and Caleb and keeping the household running. Needless to say, the medical bills and now travel costs are piling up.  If you feel led to contribute, please do so generously and join us in this story.  More importantly, please pray for this precious family and ask for God's comfort, strength, peace, encouragement, and joy.  Thank you and God bless!