Lilly’s Hope Fund
Hello! In that adorable picture is my Momma, Lilly Barrett, and myself, Eden Barrett. See, that lady with the brilliant smile and kind eyes is the most loving, hard working, passionate, Earthly, stubborn woman I have ever met. Unfortunately, as they say bad things happen to fabulous people. That, and her hairdo is not a fashion statement.
In December 2015 this superstar was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer. My mom sauntered bravely onto that battlefield with dignity and grace, and after a 14 hour reconstruction surgery she was supposedly crowned victor.
However, again comes another, "unfortunately," as the doctors had missed a teeny tiny tumor as stubborn as its host. Before long, she had discovered another lump and her new enemy, "Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer," had weaseled its way into her lymph nodes and bones, destroying villages and trespassing on sacred ground.
Overused masculine war metaphor aside, since 2017 my mom has embarked on a seemingly endless journey of treatment, having tried Chemotherapy, radiation, PiqRey pills, Faslodex shots, a ketogenic diet, naturopaths, and holistic medicine doctors. The lastest news in her diagnosis is that micro-nodules (more tiny tumors) are practically all over her body, including in her lungs, spine, and cervical spine.
Worst of all, beyond the pain, exhaustion, and existential confrontation, is the fact that I am watching her lose hope. I am watching my dad grow solemn as he witnesses his wife of 28 years fight in a battle she is clearly not winning. The doctors have no idea what to do and have actually told her that the medication that she is on is pretty much the last resort. I don't quite know the official medical diagnosis, but I do know that my mom has multiple extremely rare forms of cancer and the doctors are outright guessing on what to do at this point.
That's where Kokolulu Farms comes in on the Big Island of Hawaii. I don't know how many of you believe in the power of God/Nature/Source Energy, but for those who do, the Big Island of Hawaii is an energetically potent place where, if that connection is properly nurtured, transformation and healing can occur. Will occur. At Kokolulu Farms, trained staff work alongside individuals with chronic illness to cultivate healing from the inside out using the "medicine-less medicine healing components: Zhineng Qigong, Food as Medicine, Exercise, Stress Reduction, and Guided Imagery."
In a nutshell, these methods will help enable my mom "rediscover the inner medicine – chi, the vital and healing resource within us – and to magnify the exchange between ourselves and nature, enabling us to fuse with the infinite creative power of the universe that ultimately is the origin of love, compassion, and the source of all healing."
Now it may sound a little far out, but if what she's doing now isn't working, might as well try something new, right?
Of course, no one can make any promises to heal my mom, but I feel that even if she is not cured, that she will be less afraid, in less pain - that she will benefit tremendously on the emotional and spiritual level.
*The goal is to use the funds as a means to get her to Hawaii, but may also be used for other treatment plans and are also going to be used to send my dad to Hawaii with her.* :)
Here is more information on Kokolulu Farms: http://cancer-retreats.org
Thank you so much for reading this far and for your time. Anything helps. God bless you and your families and your pets and your friends!!