Support Cassandra Overcoming Cancer

This fundraiser is for our dear friend Cassandra- Casey- Alonzo.  If you live in the Milwaukee area and have been to an artisan craft fair in the past 5 years you have probably met Cassandra as the owner of Alonzo Artistry- her up cycled artisanal glassware business. She's also mother to 9 year old Allessandra and loving wife to Diego.  And a wonderful friend to many of us! Her kind heart and upbeat attitude are the best to be around. As Cassandra is always smiling, you would never know that she has been battling a rare form of liver cancer called Fibrolamellar for over two years. 

In August 2018 Cassandra was diagnosed with Fibrolamellar and was scheduled to have immediate surgery for a liver resection and to remove lymph nodes and her gall bladder. Just 6 months later, right after her dad passed away, she had a recurrence. It was found in March and she was given targeted radiation along with trials of two different chemotherapies until finally she was started on an experimental 3-part regimen of immunotherapy, biotherapy, and chemotherapy. She continued this therapy until a second surgery was conducted in April of 2020. Everything looked good, but then unfortunately another recurrence was found just a few months ago in July. It's a pretty aggressive tumor in a lymph node along with multiple spots in the liver. 

Since her Oncologist is at a loss of how to proceed, it is back to the drawing board so to speak. Right now she is doing immunotherapy plus taking a daily chemo pill. Cassandra has also begun integrative treatment, though unfortunately this is not covered by insurance. She has started vitamin C infusions, mistletoe therapy, infrared light therapy, energy and meditative healing, a restrictive keto diet, you name it! She would like to get a PEMF mat (Pulsed Electromagnetic Field) which research has shown to help with pain management and tumor shrinkage. She also needs to see an Oncologist in Chicago who is one of the only specialists of Fibrolamellar.  However, insurance will not cover out-of-state physicians so she would have to wait until February 2021 for an appointment. She is hoping that he will be able to perform an operation as the surgical team here is not planning to operate again. 

This fundraiser is to help cover her medical and integrative treatment costs and life expenses so that Cassandra can continue therapies to heal her body of cancer. Plus she needs to see the Fibrolamellar specialist in Chicago as soon as possible. The tumor is aggressive and so waiting on insurance is not reassuring. Times are especially hard right now financially as the pandemic caused cancellations of nearly all artisan craft fairs and Cassandra has seen her sales drop exponentially. 

She's focusing on positive, healing thoughts for her body and says "loving energy heals a lot faster than frustration and hate".  While Cassandra is focusing on healing, we're asking friends, family, the community- please help out by donating what you can to Support Cassandra Overcoming Cancer. Meditation and prayers are also encouraged. It's so much to ask for one person, but collectively we can show our support and overcome cancer together!  

Thank you and with Love
<3
All of us with Cassandra


Diego, Casey, & Alle :)