“Cancer is a word, not a sentence.” - John Diamond

On Thursday May 22, 2025 Lisa went to Baptist Health Shelby Hospital in Alabaster, Alabama after suffering from severe abdominal pain and bloating. After a CT scan was preformed the doctors found a large mass on her colon which lead to an emergency ostomy surgery to relieve the blockage in her colon that the mass was causing. During this emergency surgery the surgeon also discovered additional masses on Lisa's omentum and abdominal wall. A biopsy was taken during surgery and the pathology report later revealed the most devastating news imaginable, Lisa was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer. Lisa and her husband Luc met with the surgeon that preformed her surgery and the oncologist in Alabama, and was given a bleak prognosis. Lisa and Luc were told that surgery is no longer an option and that chemotherapy may only “slow the process". This information is absolutely soul snatching! To have someone look at you and tell you your cancer is not curable and can't be operated on. At just 40 years old with so much life ahead of her, and two young boys Alex (13) and Jacob (7) that her and Luc have given the world to, are now having to process this devastating prognosis.

Lisa has an appointment with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, which is a cancer treatment and research institution in Manhattan in New York City for a second opinion on June 13th, and at UAB Hospital closer to home on June 16th. A PET scan will follow shortly after, and her first round of chemotherapy is expected to begin the end of June.

Anyone who knows Lisa knows this woman will fight until the very end. Tell her something is impossible, and she will show you otherwise. Miracles happen, and we are praying that Lisa is one of them. The journey ahead for Lisa and her family will be incredibly hard. Physically, emotionally and financially. This is where we come in.

Luc will be taking time off under FMLA to care for Lisa and their boys during treatment. Between chemotherapy, traveling back and forth between never ending doctor appointments and repeat scans. Being a one income family this will be an intense financial challenge. Their family deserves to be able to cherish their time together and focus on Lisa’s health. Together we can help lighten the load and contribute to helping their family during this extremely challenging time.

I have been friends with Lisa since our Junior year of high school, nearly 24 years, and this woman is so important to so many people. Lisa has never hesitated to help someone in need, that is just her character. Now it's our time to show her what kind of tribe she has waiting to help her through this life alternating change. Monetary support, emotional support, physical support, whatever you can do to help. Thank you all for showing Lisa how much we love her!