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Last July my best friend Kelli was concocting something yummy in her kitchen when she noticed a painful bump in her left boob. Well, that could be the beginning to a good joke, but alas it turned out to have absolutely no humor, it would be a tumor. And it was growing fast. Soon after this moment Kelli was diagnosed with ER/PR+ and HER2+ metastatic breast cancer. This was the beginning of a whole new journey for her. Thankfully, Kelli is good at traveling, as well as problem solving.
Kelli Hensley has always been a strong, caring, and creative person. She’s worked hard to provide for her family, while still taking the time to share with those less fortunate. And in true Warrior style, she greets every new challenge with a sense of humor and a smile.
In Kelli's professional life she has been a self-employed CPA, the co-owner in a business she started with her Father, a Controller and CFO for closely held businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area, and a Junior Officer at a local bank here in Santa Rosa.
Kelli is more often your friend, than not. And when she is your accountant, she is your friend who defends and strengthens you while always accepting you for who you are and letting you be you, even when you “ooops.” Compassionate, Kind and Calm are the words most folks use when describing her, especially her clients, and not just friends and family who she is always taking care of, regardless.
Adversity has often been a traveling companion of hers. But she has always found a way to preserver, find the silver lining, and reap some seriously cool rewards.
In the Spring of 2007, Kelli was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease after battling with, and going undiagnosed for several years. Crohn’s Disease is an incurable and often time debilitating bitch of a condition that literally can almost beat her into submission, but it doesn’t and hasn’t. Not the sunniest time for her, but it was a new start with new knowledge and a much better understanding of what was making life so much more challenging than “normal”. She fought hard every day to give her body the best chance possible to manage this difficult disease. In 2011, it became increasingly harder for her to work full-time, and she ended up having to take disability time off. As a result of the decrease in income, along with the results of the Great Recession, Kelli lost her home of 18 years in the Spring of 2013. But she landed on her feet, as she always did!
Then came the bump in her boob, those Horrific Fiery nights in October (Happy Birthday Kelli) and her Mom departing from this journey and into the great unknown.
In July 2017 her health was hit hard again when she found that large, fast growing lump in her left breast. She was originally diagnosed with ER/PR+, metastatic breast cancer. After going through 2 months of chemotherapy and surgery to remove the tumors, the doctors found additional HER2+ cancer cells, and she had to go back on chemotherapy for another 3 months. She endured her first round of chemotherapy in the Fall of 2017, right around her birthday, and smack dab in the middle of the devastating wildfires that ravaged her home town, Santa Rosa. Just after Christmas 2017 (and her Dad’s birthday) she had surgery to remove the tumor in her breast, as well as levels I and II lymph node dissections. In February 2018, not only did she start back on Chemotherapy, but she also lost her mother. Kelli is taking everything in stride, with strength, humor and a smile, but she still has a long way to go in her war against cancer including; radiation treatment, additional surgeries, hormone therapy, physical therapy, and naturopathic oncology therapy. All while simultaneously dealing with fistulating Crohn’s Disease.
Damn.
As we all know, medical costs are outrageous. And many necessary treatments aren’t even covered by insurance much less Medicare, which is Kelli’s coverage. She has been using her savings account to try to make up for the laps in coverage, but it is close to being depleted. If you have the ability, and would like to help this strong warrior, please donate here. Any little bit helps, and every bit is truly valued.
Up from the ashes, we rise.
#CrohnieWithCancer #SantaRosaStrong #SonomaStrong #SonomaCountyStrong
Kelli Hensley has always been a strong, caring, and creative person. She’s worked hard to provide for her family, while still taking the time to share with those less fortunate. And in true Warrior style, she greets every new challenge with a sense of humor and a smile.
In Kelli's professional life she has been a self-employed CPA, the co-owner in a business she started with her Father, a Controller and CFO for closely held businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area, and a Junior Officer at a local bank here in Santa Rosa.
Kelli is more often your friend, than not. And when she is your accountant, she is your friend who defends and strengthens you while always accepting you for who you are and letting you be you, even when you “ooops.” Compassionate, Kind and Calm are the words most folks use when describing her, especially her clients, and not just friends and family who she is always taking care of, regardless.
Adversity has often been a traveling companion of hers. But she has always found a way to preserver, find the silver lining, and reap some seriously cool rewards.
In the Spring of 2007, Kelli was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease after battling with, and going undiagnosed for several years. Crohn’s Disease is an incurable and often time debilitating bitch of a condition that literally can almost beat her into submission, but it doesn’t and hasn’t. Not the sunniest time for her, but it was a new start with new knowledge and a much better understanding of what was making life so much more challenging than “normal”. She fought hard every day to give her body the best chance possible to manage this difficult disease. In 2011, it became increasingly harder for her to work full-time, and she ended up having to take disability time off. As a result of the decrease in income, along with the results of the Great Recession, Kelli lost her home of 18 years in the Spring of 2013. But she landed on her feet, as she always did!
Then came the bump in her boob, those Horrific Fiery nights in October (Happy Birthday Kelli) and her Mom departing from this journey and into the great unknown.
In July 2017 her health was hit hard again when she found that large, fast growing lump in her left breast. She was originally diagnosed with ER/PR+, metastatic breast cancer. After going through 2 months of chemotherapy and surgery to remove the tumors, the doctors found additional HER2+ cancer cells, and she had to go back on chemotherapy for another 3 months. She endured her first round of chemotherapy in the Fall of 2017, right around her birthday, and smack dab in the middle of the devastating wildfires that ravaged her home town, Santa Rosa. Just after Christmas 2017 (and her Dad’s birthday) she had surgery to remove the tumor in her breast, as well as levels I and II lymph node dissections. In February 2018, not only did she start back on Chemotherapy, but she also lost her mother. Kelli is taking everything in stride, with strength, humor and a smile, but she still has a long way to go in her war against cancer including; radiation treatment, additional surgeries, hormone therapy, physical therapy, and naturopathic oncology therapy. All while simultaneously dealing with fistulating Crohn’s Disease.
Damn.
As we all know, medical costs are outrageous. And many necessary treatments aren’t even covered by insurance much less Medicare, which is Kelli’s coverage. She has been using her savings account to try to make up for the laps in coverage, but it is close to being depleted. If you have the ability, and would like to help this strong warrior, please donate here. Any little bit helps, and every bit is truly valued.
Up from the ashes, we rise.
#CrohnieWithCancer #SantaRosaStrong #SonomaStrong #SonomaCountyStrong
Organizer and beneficiary
Kelli Hensley
Beneficiary