Help Support April Through Her Serious Medical Journey

April is a registered nurse, a mother, a friend, and someone who has spent her life caring for others. Now, she is facing one of the most difficult journeys of her own.

What began with surgery to remove a tumor in her colon quickly became a much more serious and unexpected battle. During surgery, April underwent a colon resection and lymph node removal after doctors discovered that the tumor was cancerous. At the same time, she had a total hysterectomy, extensive endometriosis removed, a cystoscopy, and additional procedures.

The hope was that the surgery would be the beginning of recovery. Unfortunately, more complications followed.

Imaging revealed nodules in her lungs and on her liver, leading to seven needle biopsy samples of her liver and additional CT scans. She was preparing to meet with oncology to determine what would come next when she received devastating news at Mayo Clinic.

After completing her scans, April was contacted by radiology and told to return immediately to the ER. She had developed a pulmonary embolism (PE), along with a dangerous amount of gas in her abdominal cavity and severe fluid retention.

Doctors told her that it was a life-threatening emergency and that she needed surgery immediately.

April was rushed by ambulance to the hospital, where doctors quickly placed an NG tube and took her to the operating room. Surgeons had to open her abdomen, clean out the infection and contamination, and place an ileostomy to allow her colon time to heal.

When April finally woke up, she was surrounded by people who love her and were ready to do whatever they could to help her through the next chapter.

This has been an incredibly long, frightening, and overwhelming journey. April has gone from being the person who cares for others as a nurse to suddenly needing extensive medical care herself. She is facing cancer, major surgeries, complications, hospitalization, ongoing testing, and an upcoming oncology journey — all while trying to heal physically and emotionally.

Through all of this, April has continued to show incredible strength.

She also wants everyone who has supported her to know just how much it means to her. She is deeply grateful for every person who has shown up — through hospital visits, cards, flowers, gifts, meals, messages, prayers, transportation, and simply being there when she needed someone most.

There are so many names that could be listed: Kearston, Tate, Emily, Eric, Kristyl, Adam, her family, friends, and so many others. April says the list is long, but so is her gratitude.

Now, we are asking for help as April continues this fight.

The road ahead is uncertain. She will need continued medical care, follow-up appointments, oncology consultations, treatment decisions, recovery from multiple major surgeries, and time to heal. The financial burden that comes with an extended medical journey can be overwhelming, especially when someone is unable to work while recovering.

Any contribution, no matter the amount, will help ease some of that burden and allow April to focus on what matters most right now: healing, getting stronger, and facing whatever comes next.

If you aren’t able to donate, sharing April’s story means more than you know.

Thank you to everyone who has already surrounded April with so much love and support. She has spent her life caring for others, and now it is our turn to care for her.

Please keep April in your thoughts, prayers, and hearts.

April’s Army — Hope • Support • Strength