Tessie’s Fight

From the moment I answered the call from my best friend of 30 years, and learned the news that she had been diagnosed with a terminal illness, I have begrudgingly met life's fragility face to face. Despite her ferocity of spirit, my unstoppable friend was forced to process so much so fast.  As with anyone whose loved one is given a crushing diagnosis, a million questions run through your mind;  how much time, what is the next step, what can I do to help, where do we turn, are only a few of the questions that overwhelm and consume sleepless nights.  The last thing the person you love and their caretakers should have to worry about is how will we be able to afford the care needed to have a shot at surviving.  At that time, I believe everyone involved is on autopilot.  You do as your told and you go where you need to be and everything else takes a backseat.  The problem is that life still moves forward and when you stop for a minute, you realize that the bills have mounted, time has been taken off of work, and now, work is no longer an option.  

Tessie's work was always so much more than that, it was her labor of love. I can remember the very day that Tessie and I talked about her opening her own photography studio.  We were young moms brainstorming and trying to live our dreams while at home holding down the fort.  She had the gift of capturing the best in her subjects; a storyteller who possessed an incredible insight into the energy, the relationships and the emotions of those in front of her camera. Needless to say, her professional venture has been a great success; her reputation amongst peers is one of great respect and admiration. Those in her inner circle have reaped the benefits of having an exceptional artist to capture every momentous occasion in a way that only she could. Sadly, circumstances dictate that Tessie channel her energy into caring for herself; after years of focusing on everyone else she has decided that she can no longer sustain her business while in the midst of this fight.

Metastatic Small Cell Lung Cancer that had spread to her spine has become this family's full-time job now. The multiple courses of treatment along with back surgery have taken their toll; the physicality of her work is no longer an option. Despite rigorous courses of chemotherapy and radiation, her disease persists and she must continue to fight.  Tessie has made the difficult decision to retire from photography and focus on what is important, time. Those of you who know Tessie, know that she is no pushover. My friend is strong. She is fierce. She is determined. She is courageous. She is going to fight this fight like the badass warrior that she is; she's doing it for her three boys Thomas, Niko and Mikey and her husband and lifetime love George.  They are in this together and know the struggle all too well.  After all, it is their life too-she is the center of their world.

I wanted to create this GoFundMe page to provide some financial support for my dearest friends Tessie and George. During a time when I feel so helpless, I recognize that the stress of unforeseen medical expenses and lost income should be the last thing that occupies their minds. Transitioning from a two income household to a single income household is a stress that none of us could be prepared for, no less with three kids in college. Right now, time is precious. It is my hope that our help will ease some stress and enable them to devote their time and thoughts to what really matters.


Please donate what you can to help me help them during this difficult time.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart,


Georgia Terovolas