Support Alicia's Battle Against Esophageal Cancer

On a beautiful day in March, the phone rings. It's the news from the endoscopy and biopsy that were done. The words squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus suddenly became something we would be using too often. How does this happen to a healthy 38-year-old woman? Our minds raced.

My name is Jolene, the cousin of Alicia. This diagnosis has shaken our family and small circle to the core. While we may not understand why this is happening, we know that giving up is not an option. In the past weeks, we have rallied alongside Alicia to keep her spirits high and in a state of mind to not only beat this cancer but to be stronger because of it.

Alicia's care team has done endless amounts of testing, procedures, and scans to determine that since the tumor is wrapped around her airway, her best and only plan of care will be chemo and radiation. Luckily, the kind of chemo she will be receiving will not make her lose her hair, and we are holding fast in prayer that her insurance helps to cover a type of radiation that only Emory has. This special form of radiation will help protect her heart since the targeted area of treatment is so close to this precious bodily organ.

Alicia does have insurance but wasn't prepared for high out-of-pocket copays, expenses from weeks of constant appointments, and meeting deductibles, all on top of trying to maintain her daily life at home. Her husband, Alex, has also missed many days from work to be there with her at every single appointment. His love and dedication couldn't have shined any brighter during this time, and we would like for Alex to continue to be able to care for her. This page will be used to relieve some of the financial burden that has come along with Alicia's diagnosis.

There are still some unknowns about this journey, but I will keep this page as well as her CaringBridge updated with any and all updates that come our way!