Stand for Heather: Hope, Support, Prayers

Let me tell you a story about my best friend Heather. She is hilarious, like there’s never been a time that we have hung out where she didn’t make me laugh so hard I nearly pee’d my pants. She is generous and kind and a loving and devoted mother of 3 boys, Keith, Mikel and Wendell. She is also the proud and doting Nana of 3 grand kids. She is 61 and on disability after having 5 back surgeries due to degenerative disk disease and after many years of struggling in the workforce while raising a family she finally had to get on disability a few years ago. Recently during a national park camping trip to the Everglades I was astounded at the level of difficulty she was having getting around. Between November and February something had happened and I convinced her to see a doctor. Dr sent her for X-rays, cat scan and then a pet scan and what we thought was going to be answers about her difficulty walking turned into not only a fractured pelvis and fractured hip but also a preliminary diagnosis of stage 2 non-small cell lung cancer! Mind blown…. Still wrapping our heads around all of that. Heather was on an HMO and has upgraded to a PPO because time is of the essence for this up and coming treatment plan. It cost her an extra $1000 a month when you factor the extra premium expense and a 4700 out of pocket deductible and the endless expenses that life just throws at you with seemingly expert aim when the chips are down! I have never ever known Heather to ask for anything. She was really embarrassed about me starting this fundraiser but it’s the only way she could upgrade the insurance without catastrophic financial consequences. Heather not only is embarking on a treatment plan with an oncologist here in Spring Hill but is also seeking an answer to her mobility issues which have caused frequent falls which apparently led to the undiagnosed and recently discovered fractured pelvis and hip. An MRI was done today on her brain and prayers for simple and treatable answers and a cancer free outcome are always appreciated and any financial support would be life changing right now. Any amount helps and if you cannot help please consider sharing this fundraiser on your social media and with people you might thing would be able to help. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart and on behalf of my bestest ever friend and sister soul mate, Heather.