Help our friend Melissa Combs
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When trying to pin down a moniker for Melissa (Missy) Combs there is not one individual word that covers the gamut. Missy is simply an extremely talented performer who has plied her craft on stage, on television, and in films. Besides acting, she is also a professional singer / song writer who worked with Marty Robbins for five years in Nashville, recorded her own CDs and put together and toured in solo concerts with material ranging from country classics, to gospel, to classic standards and pop including to a powerful tribute to one of her heroes, Linda Ronstadt . . .
I’m going to stop right there. I could go on and list the shows and films Melissa has done, the places and companies she has worked for . . . the many years she has given of her time and talent (not to mention creating her own spectacular gowns) to raise money for Louisville’s Crusade for Children. I could talk about the beautiful, uplifting and heart-wrenching songs she has given birth to which continue to move and inspire people every day through the magic of her rich alto voice . . .
But all that would be a simple history and chronology of facts to describe a woman I have known for almost thirty years. And none of those words would do her justice. Melissa Combs is a woman who, like everyone, has had her share of triumphs and trials, and who through it all has continued to show her strength, her faith, and share her loving heart with all those lucky enough to get to know and spend time with her.
- Jim Hesselman
After being diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (AILT) on June 13, 2014, Melissa began chemotherapy treatments in July, 2014. The oncologist's goal, was that she would respond well to six cycles of extra high doses of chemo and oral meds, as she was already far into stage 3 cancer, and this particular strain of cancer is rare, generally a poor prognosis of survival rate, and not as much known about, nor researched as with other cancers. If 6 cycles of this procedure proved to not be affecting the cancer on her lymph nodes, she would have to continue on with 8 - 10 cycles and try again. At the end of the cycles, she goes in for a bone marrow transplant. At least 3 weeks in the hospital, being hit even harder with chemo and radiation to destroy whatever cancer might possibly be left in her body, basically wiping her insides out.
So far, with each test after a 2 week cycle Melissa has shown amazing improvement that the chemo is shrinking the cancer. So, if her next test in a few weeks goes just as well, she will be having her bone marrow transplant in late November or early December.
I’m going to stop right there. I could go on and list the shows and films Melissa has done, the places and companies she has worked for . . . the many years she has given of her time and talent (not to mention creating her own spectacular gowns) to raise money for Louisville’s Crusade for Children. I could talk about the beautiful, uplifting and heart-wrenching songs she has given birth to which continue to move and inspire people every day through the magic of her rich alto voice . . .
But all that would be a simple history and chronology of facts to describe a woman I have known for almost thirty years. And none of those words would do her justice. Melissa Combs is a woman who, like everyone, has had her share of triumphs and trials, and who through it all has continued to show her strength, her faith, and share her loving heart with all those lucky enough to get to know and spend time with her.
- Jim Hesselman
After being diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (AILT) on June 13, 2014, Melissa began chemotherapy treatments in July, 2014. The oncologist's goal, was that she would respond well to six cycles of extra high doses of chemo and oral meds, as she was already far into stage 3 cancer, and this particular strain of cancer is rare, generally a poor prognosis of survival rate, and not as much known about, nor researched as with other cancers. If 6 cycles of this procedure proved to not be affecting the cancer on her lymph nodes, she would have to continue on with 8 - 10 cycles and try again. At the end of the cycles, she goes in for a bone marrow transplant. At least 3 weeks in the hospital, being hit even harder with chemo and radiation to destroy whatever cancer might possibly be left in her body, basically wiping her insides out.
So far, with each test after a 2 week cycle Melissa has shown amazing improvement that the chemo is shrinking the cancer. So, if her next test in a few weeks goes just as well, she will be having her bone marrow transplant in late November or early December.
Organizer
Melissa Combs
Organizer
Clarksville, IN