War Against Kari's Squatter: Glioblastoma

This campaign is to support the urgent and required care of Kari Booth, beloved wife, mother, friend, and - to so many - a bearer of hope and renewed faith as she battles Stage 4 Glioblastoma Multiforme. Every gift, no matter how small, makes a difference. At 1:30am on October 22nd, 2018, Kari's husband, Johnny, was awakened by her yelling and shaking. When Johnny realized Kari was unresponsive, he turned on the light to discover she was in the middle of a grand mal seizure and entering respiratory distress. He performed CPR and managed to get Kari stable prior to EMS being called. Kari was admitted to the hospital immediately and scans revealed a small brain tumor on her right side. On Tuesday, November 27, the tumor was removed at Shands Hospital. The results of the tumor biopsy shocked all of us: Kari has an aggressive brain cancer: Stage 4 Glioblastoma Multiforme. Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of the bad news. A follow-up MRI revealed that a second tumor has already developed deeper in Kari's brain and is similar in size to the first one (which was removed - see post-op photo below). This, combined with the biopsy results, has launched John and Kari into a knock-down, drag-out fight with this cancer. Kari has begun round one of treatment (chemo and radiation) at Shands Hospital in Gainesville, FL, and will be living near Gainesville for this round of treatment while John continues to work at Cape Canaveral (over 2.5 hours away from Gainesville) and spends as much time in Gainesville as possible on weekends.  Kari has touched so, so many lives in a deep and meaningful way. For several years, Kari gave every moment of her life to love on children, teens, adults, and (of course) animals at Triple Cross Ranch (this old promotional video provides a short [and understated] look into the impact TCR had). John and Kari gave their time, energy, and (quite extensively) finances to this cause. They opened their home to teenagers in great need – giving those teens somewhere to stay when their own homes weren’t the best places for them to be. Even after the doors of TCR closed, they continued to engage with teenagers in their neighborhoods and give them a safe space to share life. In Florida, John and Kari have quickly become well-known lights in their communities – everyone from the neighbor to the pharmacist recognizes and loves Kari. They have truly been the hands and feet of Jesus to so many, even when it was inconvenient or even unwise by conventional wisdom. It's unclear right now exactly what the next 3 months to several years hold for John and Kari. One thing is certain: they (with all of our support) are fighting this cancer with everything they have. Unfortunately, the cancer and the related treatment have made it impossible for Kari to work. As a result, John and Kari have lost over $45,000 of income (on top of thousands of dollars of already incurred medical bills and travel expenses, and possibly thousands of dollars of similar expenses yet to be incurred). Due largely to the investment in the children and families of the Mooresville, NC area through TCR, the Booths don’t have extensive savings to buffer this loss of income + huge medical expenses. We are humbly asking for your help. All funds raised will be disbursed in one of the following ways: 1. Primarily, to pay for medical expenses for Kari - especially as insurance deductibles, etc. reset at year-end and out-of-pocket amounts come due in the immediate future 2. Travel and room and board for John, Kari, and immediate family (Justin, Drew, and Dehryen and Lexie) to enable Kari’s loved ones to spend as much time with her as possible over the coming months 3. To offset the loss of Kari's income 4. If there are any remaining funds, they will be donated to a charity of Kari's choice If now is not the right time for you to help financially, we still need your support and love. Prayers for healing, comfort, and peace for the whole family are invaluable right now. More tangibly, handwritten letters and cards would be truly appreciated by Kari as she spends time in Gainesville fighting for her life. We are FIGHTING this cancer – for life, high-quality life, for as long as is possible. We know that this cancer is aggressive and fast-moving. We also know that God is great (even if healing never comes), and we know that Kari is so incredibly strong, so incredibly loving, and so incredibly generous. Thank you for loving her back in whatever way you are able. To keep up with Kari’s battle, visit her Caring Bridge site.  With much love and gratitude, Josh Shoulders (and the entire Booth Army)