My good friend Samantha Brown (Sami), a neighbor in Hamlet Oregon: Mother of 3 beautiful (and very precocious children), awesome wife, veteran Air Force medic, and an exuberant and generous friend is battling cancer. In March of this year, after discovering a large lump in her abdomen, Sami went to the hospital and ended up with an 8 hour surgery, removing a 17cm mass (the size of a football) from her right ovary/bowel.

When she woke up she was hit with the news that it was cancer. An extremely rare and aggressive type of ovarian cancer. Meaning; the treatment had to be matched with the same aggression.

In May she began a very difficult chemo regime, which lasted six months. When hair-loss became inevitable, she threw a marvelous “cutting-of the hair party”, where all of her friends gathered to cut a piece and share a memory and eat some BBQ. Since then, she has gracefully rocked out the “bald vibe” with her colorful hats and wonderful earrings. She continues to go out with her family, foraging for mushrooms and having many adventures in the woods, although daily struggles: like nausea, keeping down food, and fatigue make it difficult.

She is now on the last/very difficult step. Sami is about to enter the final stage of treatment, which is an autologous stem cell transplant. This requires Sami to be away from everything she loves and lives for, for almost two months.

This next journey will be the hardest. Testing all physical and mental capacity. Testing the heart of faith and endurance to keep fighting for the things she exists for, but it’s a necessary step to get rid of this cancer for good.

Her 3 children and loving husband are the reasons “she needs to stick around”. In this journey there will be many foreseen and unforeseen expenses; lodging, meals, medical premiums (as they are currently paying for their own health insurance), travel and many more of the unknown.

Any amount you can give would be so much appreciated by Sami and her family. When something big like this hits, we all need a little help.

Thank you and please share this with your friends. Any prayers or words of support would be so appreciated while Sami and her family endure this final stage of the hell that is cancer treatment. No amount is too small! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.