Help April in Her Fight for Life

Hello, my name is Chaplain Edward (Ted) Baccich, USA Ret. and I am fundraising for Miss April Picart.

(Picture above was taken in Afghanistan circa 2012. I am in the middle, April is to my right, Sister Gwen Ramos is to my left and MAJ Butch [black lab] is the morale dog for the event, a Prayer Luncheon.)

Lalaine April Picart is the real deal, the genuine article. She is highly devout Christian Missionary, Talented Worship Leader/ and Army Veteran who deployed to Iraq twice as a Soldier and all over the world on multiple deployments as a contractor. She deeply loves and supports the military by working with them side-by-side in places like the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe. She is a Soldier for life; she is one of us, the very best of us. She is a true gem in a sea of what is sometimes apathy and mediocrity.

April is/ WAS the PRIMARY BREADWINNER to her family. Her parents are both elderly. Her sister is disabled and she has a niece that she fully financially supports. POSSESSING AN INCREDIBLE WORK ETHIC, April has spent MANY YEARS as a military contractor working overseas in very austere environments to fully provide for her family.

The funds raised here will be used to cover for expenses incurred for the treatment of STAGE FOUR BREAST CANCER, AND to assist with everyday expenses and bills, AND to ameliorate for lost income due to sudden disability. While April is pursuing conventional treatment at the Houston VA, she would like an opportunity to go to Envita Medical Center to further deal with the root cause of the specific cancer that is currently plaguing her body and threatening her life.

THE FOLLOWING NARRATIVE IS FROM APRIL (HER WORDS):

"When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, my whole world stopped. I definitely went through all the phases. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and finally acceptance. The hardest part to accept was the day before diagnosis, I was a healthy, physically fit individual working and traveling to different places and all of a sudden, here I am with a lump on my breast, with a grade 3 aggressive tumor. With minimal liquid savings, but with ample low value real estate investments, my hands were tied as far choosing treatments were concerned. I initially rejected receiving chemotherapy, because the month prior my diagnosis, my aunt (mother’s side) died due to complications of chemotherapy. That being said, I turned to holistic approach, changed my diet to plant-based, refraining from consuming sugar, processed foods, and junk foods. I also took action making sure that I have minimal contact with chemicals (coming from detergents, soaps, shampoos). Almost a year later, holistic approach alone did not deter the cancer from spreading. I even went to get cryoablation done, but this localized treatment did not really help contain the disease. So, here I am. I will be starting conventional treatment in the next few days and hopefully and prayerfully, my body would respond positively, but it is at this point that I decided to ask for financial help, because I would like to pursue seeking treatment from Envita Medical Center to figure out the root cause of this cancer and to help my immune system recover from chemotherapy treatments.

Prior to diagnosis, I was just a workaholic supporting the troops and going wherever my employer would send me. I was also focused on taking care of my elderly parents, my niece, and my whole family. It never crossed my mind that I would be diagnosed with breast cancer and now, it has become metastatic. I am still young. I would like to live a long life. I still have dreams to fulfill which is going back to what I was called to do by the Lord, including going on missions trips and outreaches, visiting prisons and places that are indigent to share the Gospel and spread positivity and hope."

PLEASE HELP ME TO HELP HER. I have never done a GoFundMe and I never would unless I thought it was for a truly worth cause and THIS IS THAT CAUSE! IF I HAVE EVER KNOWN ANYONE CAPABLE OF DEFYING THE ODDS AND BEATING CANCER IT IS APRIL! AND WITH YOUR HELP, VICTORY WILL BE OURS. THANK YOU!

Please feel free to reach out to me with any question or concerns.

A very blurry looking AMC Chapel in the winter snow, Afghanistan, Circa 2012. From Left to right, Eric Tidwell, Ted Baccich, Kent Leslie, and Eric White. April, Gwen, Nic and the more intelligent folks were INSIDE the chapel during this lovely photo shoot. :-)