HopeForLisa – A Story of Strength, Family, and Unshakable Hope

On Halloween of 2022, our mom, Lisa Laskey, received a diagnosis that would change everything. Stage 1 adenocarcinoma lung cancer. Just three months later, she underwent surgery to remove part of her lung where the mass had been found. We thought we caught it early. But during the procedure, doctors discovered it was actually Stage 3B. The cancer had already spread to her lymph nodes.

What followed was a grueling stretch of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, which Lisa faced with her signature strength and grace. Months later, when a brain lesion was discovered, she underwent radiotherapy brain surgery. It was successful! Another hurdle cleared.

But the fight didn’t stop. In December 2023, Lisa was hospitalized with an ischemic reaction to immunotherapy that triggered sepsis. We almost lost her. It was the scariest Christmas imaginable but again, she pulled through.

Lisa then experienced 17 precious, beautiful months cancer-free. Her strength and optimism during that time were nothing short of inspiring.

This spring, on the eve of a long-awaited girls’ trip with her daughters, Maddie and Hannah, and her granddaughter, Joie, she went to Mayo Clinic for a routine check-up. There, she learned devastating news the cancer was back. Another brain lesion required radio-surgery.

Still, Lisa didn’t cancel the trip. She made every effort to enjoy that special time with her girls. As time is so precious and we never know how much time we truly have left. Unfortunately though come time to return home she suffered a life-threatening pericardial and pleural effusion. Her heart was under immense pressure from fluid buildup. She was rushed to the ICU In Georgia and underwent two surgeries to remove the fluid and was placed on oxygen. Once again, she fought and once again, the doctors were able to save her.

This time, though, the news was harder to bear.

Lisa’s cancer had returned full force. She is now battling Stage 4B adenocarcinoma of the lung, with brain lesions, a suspected mass on her bronchial, and likely peritoneal carcinomatosis. Her condition is critical. The doctors have confirmed we’re past the point of surgical intervention or curative treatment.

But Lisa is not giving up.

A lifelong resident of Leelanau County and a proud Leland graduate, Lisa is more than her diagnosis. She is a loving wife, mother, and the heart of our family. She is “Gigi” to her beloved granddaughter Joie — and is eagerly awaiting the arrival of twin granddaughters this fall. She dreams of holding them in her arms and watching them grow.

Traditional medicine is no longer enough. Lisa is now pursuing a combined approach of traditional Western medicine and holistic therapies that may help extend and improve her quality of life. Many of these treatments and therapies are not covered by insurance, and the costs from daily living to travel and treatment are mounting quickly. We have been traveling to and from Mayo Clinic In MN from MI. She has been also receiving treatments across Traverse city for the last 3 years and the financial burden is getting to be difficult on the family.

We are asking for your help.

Every donation, every share, every word of support brings us closer to giving our mom, Lisa the time she deserves with the people she loves most. She has given so much to her family, her friends, and her community — and now we want to give her every possible chance to keep living, loving, and fighting.

If you know Lisa, you know her light. Help us keep that light shining.

#HopeForLisa