Help Rhonda Fight Cancer

Rhonda's Battle with Cancer

Rhonda Cimino is caring woman with heart full of love and compassion. She challenges herself to try new things, and has never been one to sit on the sidelines. Rhonda enjoys the outdoors and adventure, a passion she shares with her husband, Leo. With nearly 41 years of marriage, Rhonda and Leo are always by each other’s side and care for each other deeply. Rhonda happily traveled to different duty stations with Leo throughout his nearly 25 years of service in the US Army. The love, respect, and support they show for one another was the foundation of the values taught to their children. She is a nurturing, supportive mother, calming any situation with her words of wisdom and embrace. Rhonda has always been a spark and brings joy to those around her. However, Rhonda’s spark started to fade after her battle began.


On July 22, 2017, just one week after Rhonda’s 59th birthday, she found herself in the ER with severe pain in her back and abdominal area. Thinking she might have kidney stones, a CT scan revealed otherwise; a mass in her gallbladder. She was admitted to the hospital where she underwent more tests, ultrasounds, scans, and biopsies. To her and her family and friends’ devastation, metastatic adenocarcinoma was found in her gallbladder and lymph nodes. It was stage four cancer. Due to the aggressive nature of the cancer, the gallbladder could not be removed. A port was surgically placed to administer infusions, and Rhonda received her first chemotherapy treatment while in the hospital. She was released from the hospital one week after visiting the ER. Rhonda continued the chemo treatments for approximately four months; at which time, she was informed she could not sustain another chemo treatment because it would kill her. Rhonda’s hemoglobin and platelets dropped well below normal, requiring her to receive a transfusion for both. 

Following her transfusions, in mid-November, Rhonda began receiving an immunotherapy drug. In December, a genomic alterations test was done. The results showed that she was highly HER2+, which is typically found in breast cancer patients, yet she was informed that she didn’t have breast cancer. Then in early February 2018, after almost three months of receiving the immunotherapy treatments she had to stop due to the side effects. It took close to four months before a new treatment plan was implemented. 

In May 2018, Rhonda began a drug treatment plan to target HER2. Three months later a routine mammogram showed a suspicious area on her left breast. She underwent an ultrasound-guided core biopsy and the results stated that it was benign breast tissue. She continued with the targeted drug until December 2018 when an additional targeted drug was added to enhance the treatment. With so many changes in Rhonda’s condition and only minimal healing, Rhonda and her family and friends prayed for guidance. 


In March 2019, a prayer was answered, Rhonda’s gallbladder was laparoscopically surgically removed, and her first post-surgery scan showed a positive result. It showed very little activity with exception to the gallbladder bed, which was suspected as simply post-surgical inflammation. Additionally, the cancer was isolated within the gallbladder and hadn't penetrated the wall membrane. This was wonderful news!

Rhonda went in for another scan in August with high hopes. To everyone’s surprise the scan revealed multiple new lesions, now in her liver and a shadow in the base of her right lung. As a result, Rhonda’s treatment changed again to another targeted drug. Another scan was taken in October to determine whether the new treatment was working. To everyone’s dismay, the scan revealed progression of the disease in Rhonda’s liver, spine, and pelvis areas. The cancer has spread. Through this ongoing journey Rhonda has remained positive and while her spark may have faded, there is still an ongoing glow of hope.


From Rhonda:

“I have prayed for guidance and the courage to walk away from conventional treatment and make the leap to an alternative treatment plan. Unless you have walked with this disease it is hard for someone to comprehend the emotional toll it has on one’s being and their family and friends. I am now ready to move forward to alternative medicine.

I want to enjoy the love of family and friends, and see my granddaughter grow up. Truly, every day is a blessing. At the time of my initial diagnosis, my prognosis estimated that I would live less than a year. I believe I am still here today because of our faith and trust in God. I also believe nutrition plays an important role in healing one's body. Finally, it is vitally important to have the right doctor who is committed to help you heal. I have a wonderful oncologist who has been extremely helpful and supportive in my journey, even as I move forward with alternative treatment.

Your support to me is life. And, I pray that I can do the same for someone else. I pray that humanity finds a cure for this horrific disease of cancer. The world is losing so many loved ones.

Thank you and God bless.”


Where will your funding support go?

Rhonda will need to receive at least two cycles of a four week treatment. Rhonda and Leo have the means to pay for one cycle of treatment and humbly request the funds to help cover the costs of the second cycle. Funding will go solely to treatment and supplements costs. Travel expenses (lodging, fuel, meals) will be covered by Rhonda, Leo, and family.


$10,000 per week of treatment (x4 weeks) = $40,000

$2,000 per month of supplements (x12 months) = $24,000

$2,000 to account for 2.9% withheld by GoFundMe= $1,800

Total: $65,800


Video donated by Jerrod Cordell