Please help Chuck Battle Stage 4 Cancers

UPDATE from me, Bijou! I am Chuck’s constant companion, confidant, and never ending supply of fuzzy love. I have been with him since we first received his diagnosis and it has been so so hard, but today is good day and I wanted to share it with all of you who have supported him and have given him the will to keep fighting. Thank you for all of your kindness and love!

From Chuck:

“For the first time since my diagnosis I can report that I slept peacefully through the night

The night time has been the hardest for me, no sleep, no dreams, a long and sometimes scary stretch of dark thoughts and worries, with my focus being just breathing through it and waiting for the sun... Netflix rolling in the background to distract me from all the corners of my deep, dark mind. But last night was different… I slept through!

I only woke once, to offer up my atomic pee to the bathroom gods. One pee, and then right back to sleep…amazing!!

The chemo, and subsequent recovery from the injection of all that poison, has had a significant, positive impact and effect.

I hope it’s a trend that continues right into a pain free-ish state, from which I will fight this cancerous intrusion.

Thanks for hearing me out, thank you all for the wonderful support, and all the good vibrations you send.

I can’t do it without you. ♥️

Thanks especially to my wonderful Toby… I love you.” ~ Chuck

Thanks to all of you who have given your love and support and generous donations that have sustained Chuck’s will to remain positive and fight this disease with every ounce of strength he has. In a world where we often feel overwhelmed and unable to make a difference, Chuck’s words prove that you can:

“I can’t do it without you.”

Thank you for continuing to help. ♥️

Love, Bijou

UPDATE: WOW, thank you for all the heartfelt donations and shares! In less than a week your kindness has boosted this fundraiser to 27% of our goal!

Chuck started the first round of chemo the day after this was published, and as we all know chemotherapy often brings debilitating side effects that make it difficult to function - but according to Toby, “Chuck is handling it like a champ! He's pretty sleepy but his color is better and he hasn't gotten sick or anything.”

While running Home Cooked Healing I noticed that everyone handled chemo differently, and those who were battling cancer seemed to do much better if they had a solid support system in place. Well Chuck was heartened by the immediate response and the generous support that you all provided, and it is not surprising he is handling the treatment so well. “We are really appreciative for all the help,” Toby said, “It's a huge relief!”

Thank you for all the the generous donations, the shares and the prayers, and all the good thoughts. In a world where we can’t often control what goes on around us, it is wonderful to see how your kindness can make a difference!

My name is Mary Ann Perlman and I started this fundraiser on behalf of Chuck Colbert and Toby Michelle Alley. My earliest memory of Chuck was when he and Toby stepped up to cook for cancer survivors and their families through the Beth Wright Cancer Resource Center’s “Home Cooked Healing” program.

Every Sunday this devoted couple cooked for people they had never met, selflessly spending the best part of their weekend to brighten the lives of others. Now they are the ones who need our help, as Chuck fights the battle of a lifetime against the three stage 4 cancers in the liver, lungs and spine, he has been diagnosed with. In Chuck’s own words, “It’s been a painful journey thus far, recovering from the kidney removal from 18 months ago,” which was followed by the loss of his beloved job at the Criterion in Bar Harbor. While Chuck and Toby are still recovering from those two events, this most recent diagnosis has created even greater hardship as Chuck is unable to work the part-time job he had secured in Rockland at the Strand.

The additional expenses of travel, copays, meds, bills, travel and transportation, in addition to their mortgage, utilities and everyday expenses, is beyond what anyone should be expected to endure. I am asking you to please give what you can to ease this overwhelming burden on Toby and Chuck, as they did for the many cancer survivors they supported with their heartfelt donation of food and an abundance of love.

Thank you for anything you can give, and for sharing this post far and wide. No amount is too small, as any donation brings much love in the spirit of giving.