Support Rhonda in Her Cancer Battle

A year ago, my mom Rhonda Thornton was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer. If you know anything about small cell lung cancer, you know that this cancer grows very fast with no remorse. Finding this out after just losing her mother (my grandmother) 9 months earlier with the same diagnosis was a big blow to our family.

When the doctors found the cancer, it was already in the extended stage. They said that with chemo, she might have 1-2 years at the most. She was started on chemo immediately and continued that for 3 months with little to no adverse reactions. We felt pretty good about her first round of chemo and hoped this would continue. After another PET scan to check if the chemo was working, the doctor let us know that the cancer wasn't getting any worse. That was better news than we had hoped for. The doctor did decide that it would be best to start a new type of chemo 2 months later after another PET scan. Her scan showed there had been improvement, but they recommended that she proceed with another round of new chemo in December 2024, which she did.

Mom started to experience increased pain in February 2025 and went to the ER. They did a CT scan that showed that the new chemo was not working and that she needed to speak to her oncologist about what steps she needed to take. Her doctor thought it was best for her to consider palliative care or hospice. She did not qualify for other treatments due to her Lupus and Fibromyalgia. So the decision was made for Mom to go to palliative care.

Right now we are doing what we can to be there with her and make the best of the time we have left with her. We are hoping to get some help with easing the burden of bills and any other needs that she and my father may have in the meantime. Things like funeral arrangements, bills, food, gas for doctors’ appointments, etc. Along with my mother being terminally ill, her husband also has several medical issues of his own to deal with. It’s a very stressful and emotional time for everyone, and we would like to ease his burdens as well while he helps her though this tough time.

If you can help in any way we all would truly appreciate all the help we can get.