Help Becky Link Through Her Cancer Journey

REASON FOR GIVING:

So many wonderful friends and family have asked “How can we help?” so we thought this might be a centralized place to offer financial support for Becky Link during her time of need. Due to the sudden nature of her recent rare cancer diagnosis, life has turned upside down on a dime. Her medical team has urged immediate treatment in NYC starting July 22 through Sept 11 (at minimum). This need for out of state treatment comes with extraneous unplanned costs. Any financial assistance you feel led to give will go to help cover medical expenses incurred at UNC and MSK, travel to and from NC, lodging, food, uber/taxi fees, and miscellaneous city expenses. It will also help cover bills at home that are still owed while she is away as well as help pay for food and care for her children during her time in NYC.

If you would like to give directly, Venmo or PayPal would be another option (please reach out to me for that information separately). You can also help in other ways through digital gift cards such as Uber, Curb, Target or Doordash.

She is staying at 132 W 32nd st. New York,NY 10001 room 801.

The hope is that the ease of any financial stress can help her stay focused on getting cured! Should it not be within your means, we just ask you remember Becky and her family during this time with your prayers.

HER STORY:

In late May, Becky discovered the appearance of a knot on her throat and immediately sought medical attention. Over the next few weeks she was seen by various Doctors throughout the UNC Health System at an expedited rate. Following tests and biopsies, it was thought to be thyroid cancer. From there, her surgeon’s office worked to get her in quickly for a full thyroidectomy with lymph node removal. Unfortunately, surgery on June 28th didn’t go as expected, and turned into an almost 9 hr procedure. Her surgeon chose not to remove the left side of the thyroid, even though it has a small papillary cancer, so to spare her total voice and windpipe. During the procedure it was discovered the cancer had mutated and grew more than expected since earlier testing. In order to get the tumor and lymph nodes out, several nerves had to be cut. The most difficult news was the cutting of the right side vocal chord nerve that has caused a permanent voice change, spasm cough and inability to ever sing again. She also has jaw line, ear and shoulder numbness. Following surgery, pathology doctors gave conflicting reports as to what they believed this cancer type to be. A final test on July 10th suggested a rare form of thyroid cancer only seen in 2% of patients. Due to its aggressive nature, ability to quickly return or spread, treatment was recommended to begin immediately, even though the incision is still healing. Because this is rare, her UNC Medical Team, friends and family, began an across country search using connections and resources for the best possible oncology team experienced in this specific type of cancer. Ultimately it came down to MD Anderson in TX or Memorial Sloan Kettering in NYC. MSK was able to see her on July 15th in NYC. Prior to her visit they already had a team of general oncology, surgical oncology and the Head of Radiation making a plan. Following a day of appointments and tests, they asked her to return the following Monday, July 22nd to begin treatment. She was hopeful their plan could be executed back in NC to be near to home, but it needs to be managed hands on at their state of the art facility. Becky will be in NYC until Sept 11th, undergoing an aggressive treatment plan of 35 radiation and 7 chemo treatments. Please continue to remember her in your prayers as she goes through this personal trying time as well as having to be away from her children for an extended time.

“God is winning battles for you that you have no idea about. Rest your heart and mind knowing that God is fighting for you.”