Killin' Cancer Cells!
Donation protected
3 years ago I met one of my VERY Best Friends. Our friendship has grown over the last 3 years (living 3 feet away from each other has really helped:) ) For those of you who know Amanda and Joe Shupe and their little princess Rylee, you know they are AMAZING people who are always there when you need anything. They have been there for me for simple things such as a shoulder to cry on, to more extreme things... such as borrowing power tools that I am sure Joe values more than anything :) They are the VERY best kind of friends to have!
Now, I would like to give back to them during their time of hardship! In November 2016 Joe was diagnosed with cancer. This heart-breaking news coming only a month after Amanda's Mom was called to heaven incredibly unexpectedly. After surgery to remove tumors immediately after his diagnosis, Joe elected to have surgery in January 2017 to remove a large amount of lymph nodes in his back and pelvis, where his cancer was likely to spread to, if it was to come back.
In the weeks after surgery Joe powered through recovery with a positive mind set and was proud to be Cancer Free without chemotherapy or radiation! Then in April 2017 unfortunate results came back from a routine CT Scan.... His cancer was back :(
At the end of April Joe started chemo. I will be the first to raise my hand and say that I had no idea what it meant to go through chemo. The process. The time. And the side effects are enormous! 9 weeks of absolute energy and mind crushing, daily treatments.
In the last 7 months Joe and Amanda have had to take time off of work, travel to and from doctors appointments, and pay for childcare for Rylee, on top of everyday expenses. Joe has been off work since his initial lymph node removal surgery and Amanda has recently had to take leave from work as Joe has entered the hardest part of his treatments. I cannot imagine what this family is going through, but I would like to ease their heartache and struggle by asking you all for help. Anything you can give will be accepted by a family with enough love to pass around to all of us, 10 times over. As I am very aware that we all have our circumstances, if you are unable to give, please send prayers to Joe, Amanda, and Rylee as they work at Killin' Cancer Cells one day at a time!
Now, I would like to give back to them during their time of hardship! In November 2016 Joe was diagnosed with cancer. This heart-breaking news coming only a month after Amanda's Mom was called to heaven incredibly unexpectedly. After surgery to remove tumors immediately after his diagnosis, Joe elected to have surgery in January 2017 to remove a large amount of lymph nodes in his back and pelvis, where his cancer was likely to spread to, if it was to come back.
In the weeks after surgery Joe powered through recovery with a positive mind set and was proud to be Cancer Free without chemotherapy or radiation! Then in April 2017 unfortunate results came back from a routine CT Scan.... His cancer was back :(
At the end of April Joe started chemo. I will be the first to raise my hand and say that I had no idea what it meant to go through chemo. The process. The time. And the side effects are enormous! 9 weeks of absolute energy and mind crushing, daily treatments.
In the last 7 months Joe and Amanda have had to take time off of work, travel to and from doctors appointments, and pay for childcare for Rylee, on top of everyday expenses. Joe has been off work since his initial lymph node removal surgery and Amanda has recently had to take leave from work as Joe has entered the hardest part of his treatments. I cannot imagine what this family is going through, but I would like to ease their heartache and struggle by asking you all for help. Anything you can give will be accepted by a family with enough love to pass around to all of us, 10 times over. As I am very aware that we all have our circumstances, if you are unable to give, please send prayers to Joe, Amanda, and Rylee as they work at Killin' Cancer Cells one day at a time!
Organizer and beneficiary
Ashley Bichay
Organizer
Cedar Springs, MI
Amanda Shupe
Beneficiary
