Please Help Tammy Fight Cancer

If you know Tammy, you know she has never been someone who does anything halfway.

Born and raised in Alaska, Tammy is known for her boisterous nature, outgoing personality, quick sense of humor, and willingness to help anyone—often at a cost to herself.

She loves raising her horses, cats, and dogs, traveling through the Alaskan wilds, making people laugh, living rough when necessary, and simply loving life.

Now Tammy is facing something she never imagined.

What began as a seemingly simple headache rapidly progressed into severe, migraine-like symptoms. A trip to the hospital looking for answers brought an unfathomable diagnosis:

Sinonasal Undifferentiated Carcinoma: an extremely rare and aggressive cancer arising within the nasal cavity and sinuses.

Because of the rarity and complexity of this disease, Tammy is preparing to travel on short notice from Alaska to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, where specialists experienced in treating this rare sinonasal cancer can determine the best course of treatment.

Treatment is expected to keep her in Houston for five months or longer and will involve chemotherapy, radiation, possible surgery, extensive imaging, and continuing follow-up care.

She Needs Help Now!

Tammy is currently unable to work and has no health insurance. Medicaid and every available source of medical and financial assistance are being pursued, but the expenses ahead are substantial.

In addition to cancer treatment itself, Tammy faces airfare from Alaska, months of temporary housing near MD Anderson, transportation to appointments, medications and medical supplies, meals and groceries, and the everyday expenses that don't stop simply because someone has cancer.

Any funds raised will be used to help Tammy meet these medical, travel, housing, and living expenses throughout her treatment and recovery.

Tammy has spent a lifetime being the person willing to lend a hand, make someone laugh, help an animal, or step up when somebody else needed her.

Now Tammy needs us to step up for her.

If you can donate, any amount will help. If you cannot, please consider sharing Tammy's story. Simply helping us reach more people can make a tremendous difference.

Tammy has a lot of living left to do.

There are horses waiting for her.

There are dogs and cats waiting for her.

There are friends waiting to hear that unmistakable laugh again.

And there is a cancer that picked a fight with one very stubborn Alaskan woman.

Please help us give Tammy every possible chance to fight it.