Lisa Rice's Fight

Lisa Rice.

To know her is to love her…

Lisa has always put every person that crosses her path first, and her work ethic is driven and relentless. If you have crossed paths with Lisa in a work or personal environment, you can see that she is genuine in everything that she does. She has put her life into serving others. Prior to her community physician office work, Lisa worked in hospice services and was there to help people in their final moments. She has lovingly sat and held their hands, gone without sleep and watched over patients while exhausted loved ones took time to recharge and rest during the end of life process. Her empathy and caring nature often led her to feel her own sense of loss even as she offered peace and understanding and compassion to grieving families. Her heart is huge and if you know Lisa at all, you know her heart is huge and she has always gone out of her way to help others however she can, be it big or small.

Strong and capable in the face of adversity.

While facing unrelenting challenges, Lisa’s courage and perseverance took the greatest insult when she found a lump in her right breast in August 2023. Lack of health insurance and finances complicated her expedition of follow-up, but she was able to complete a mammogram, followed by a diagnostic ultrasound with direction to immediately consult Oncology. Lisa was able to see a specialist at the Flagler County Free Clinic despite her insurance and financial constraints, who thoughtfully directed her to Halifax Hospital for immediate diagnostic care. Unfortunately, this further workup revealed that Lisa has 2 forms of cancer; breast cancer and an aggressive secondary malignancy assaulting her liver and crossing to her spine. With surgery not an option.

Her fortitude to make the best of her situation with her courage in the face of unrelenting pain have made it necessary to rely on family and friends for guidance and support. Her prognosis is poor and she is unable to endure physically aggressive treatment. Her rapid decline has left her with little energy, and despite her fierce determination to do more, she currently sleeps about 18 hours a day and her immune system is not functioning well. Anything she attempts in public is limited due to risk of infection, and this, unfortunately, includes her job.

It is our turn to help Lisa…

The biggest challenge for Lisa is not the pain or emotional toll this disease process is taking, though those are certainly huge hurdles. The financial burden of her diagnostic and follow up medical care without insurance is now affecting her family, who have lovingly stepped up to care for her physical needs as she manages this terminal turn of events.

Lisa needs our help, and the help of the community, to ensure ongoing housing security and medical care to support her health goals. Her daughter and son-in-law are exhausting a limited budget that includes raising and providing for her grandchildren, and Lisa has no further funds of her own to contribute to her end of life care, and while she has not asked for any financial assistance, it would mean the world to her to know she had not left her family financially burdened due to a series of events she had no control over.

If you’re able, please reflect Lisa’s life-long drive for compassion and empathy, and donate toward her end of life care fund. 100% of proceeds will be given directly to Lisa to go towards medical bills and comfort/needs as she spends her final days at home with her family. . Any amount will be tremendously appreciated. Even if you are unable to donate now, please share this GoFundMe and leave a note on how Lisa has touched your life.