Sammi & Cuz Matt Howell fighting cancer together!

Hi, I am Sammi Owens and I just discovered that I have Stage two anal cancer! Oh Boy! Crazy thing and what a pain in the ass!!! HAHAHA. sorry very literally true! Luckily, anal cancer, unlike rectal or colon cancer, is highly treatable and usually curable. And has a well-known and long used successful regimen that includes chemo and radiation treatments. It will be ugly and harsh but treatment is fast- usually six to twelve weeks total.

My husband Chuck and I are very blessed to have worked for Los Alamos National Lab almost our entire careers (I had a few early years at Rocky flats Plant in the mid-eighties) and I have been a high school and club youth coach and sports official for many years. We are both retired, have great health insurance, a large supportive and caring community of family and friends and we both have decent pensions. Yep we are dinosaurs! My kids Arielle and Christopher are in their early thirties and doing well for themselves. So all I need is love and virtual hugs and positive wishes for a quick recovery!

However, my cousin Matt Howell has had colon cancer for over two years now which spread to his lungs. His cancer is terminal and he has outlived his doctor's predicted expiration date of two years. He has two teenagers in high school and they live in Horton, Kansas where he has spent his life as a mechanic running an independently owned auto shop. He also is a true artist who has made some amazing, quirky and humorous welded auto part sculptures in his spare time because he is always working on something! We have talked frequently throughout his cancer journey but now that I too have cancer it has opened up a whole new depth to our discussions. IF you feel the need to help me out on my cancer journey my wish is that donations be made to Matt and his wife Corrie to help them and their kids Finn and Faith.

So please consider donating to support Me and my "little brother" cousin Matt.