Support Cheryl Cook's Fight Against Colon Cancer

For those of you that know our sister, Cheryl Cook, you know that she is someone who cares for others deeply, is extremely generous, and loves to look at the funny side of life. She is also a fighter who will now face her toughest battle yet.

On March 26th, 2025, Cheryl went to have her first colonoscopy. When the doctor came into the post-op room, Cheryl was shocked to learn that she had a large mass in her colon that was very likely cancerous. After a whirlwind couple of weeks and a slew of tests (biopsy, CT scan, bloodwork, MRI), it is confirmed that Cheryl has stage 2 colon cancer and will need to begin extensive chemotherapy and radiation at the end of April.

This is never the news anyone wants to hear but is particularly devastating to a Kindergarten teacher and single mother to 12-year-old Maddie in a household where finances are already tight. Cheryl and Maddie live in Georgia, with many great friends in the area, but her immediate family is all located in other states and won’t always be there to help with everyday tasks during this difficult time.

Cheryl’s prognosis is good; however, due to the location of the tumor her treatment plan is brutal and will require lots of resilience and expense along the way. She will begin with 6 weeks of daily toxic chemo pills and radiation sessions with the goal of shrinking the tumor. This will lead to another MRI checkpoint and at least 4 more months of intensive chemotherapy delivered in 4-hour sessions every 14 days through a port. From there, she will have more tests to determine if surgery is needed, further medication, or just monitoring (definite best case!).

She does not yet know the full extent of her medical bills but already owes thousands of dollars for the initial diagnostic testing and that is before chemo/radiation has even begun. The expenses are going to add up fast and will quickly become overwhelming.

It is never easy to face the reality of a cancer diagnosis and the stress of turning your life upside down to beat it. Anything you can contribute to help ease the financial burden and anxiety that comes with this process would be greatly appreciated. All funds raised will go towards the cost of Cheryl’s medical bills, any income lost from an extended leave from teaching, and expenses like food delivery or extra support around the house. Thank you for your consideration – let’s show Cheryl some love during this difficult time!