8/19/23 update: I'm absolutely devastated to change the name of this fundraiser and share the news that Alison passed away yesterday, 8/19/23. She was truly the kindest, brightest, most joyful, best person you've ever met. The loss is massive, but especially for her husband Brennan and their two children. Please pray for them as they navigate this unfair tradegy, and know that any funds contributed will still go toward helping their family pay medical bills and giving Alison the beautiful celebration of life that she deserves. 8/18/23 update: Hello everyone! Thank you so much for your continued prayer, support, and donations. I'm sad to share that Alisons health has taken a turn and she is now in hospice care. She has been surrounded by her family and loved ones, and her sweet babies have been able to spend some time with her. All future donations will continue to go toward paying the existing medical bills and assisting in funeral expenses. We ask that you continue to pray for Alison and her family as they navigate these incredibly hard days. Hi! My name is Clare, and I've put together this fundraiser to help my dear friend Alison on her journey toward healing. Alison and I met at a church youth group in 2009, and *boy* did everyone want to be her friend! She has the best spirit and radiates absolute love and joy to everyone she comes in contact with. She is now a wife to an adoring husband, Brennan, who races home after teaching at a local elementary school to spend time with his family, and an incredible mother to two of the most beautiful babies who love her more than anything. She has been facing stage 4 Neuroendocrine cancer since 2024. It's one of the rarest forms of cancer, and after being dismissed time and time again, she bravely advocated for herself to get to the root of what had been going on. The cancer caused cushings syndrome to develop and her health was in decline. She was able to undergo bilateral adrenalectomy surgery in 2024 and was an absolute champion in her ambition to become more aggressive with her cancer treatments once cured of cushings, even with the knowledge that she was going to rely on medication every day of her life after the surgery. Since then, she has been on monthly cycles of chemotherapy to try to keep the tumor that is growing around her carotid artery at bay. Not only do these cycles drain her of her energy and make her feel so sick she's barely able to eat, the chemo meds have stopped working after about a year of keeping her stable. The tumor is now continuing to grow and spread. Unfortunately, even at its best chemo isn't quite effective at treating this type of cancer because it isn’t able to differentiate between what cells are healthy and which are cancerous. In between all of this, she's had to undergo 5 different thoracentesis procedures to drain the fluid that has filled in her lungs, and another high risk procedure to drain the fluid from around her heart. Radiation is also a non-effective treatment for this rare form of cancer, and she’s running out of conventional options. She’s now pursuing alternative treatments, and while they are few and far between, she's done amazing research and found some promising programs and regimens. These are incredibly costly, and insurance won't cover non-traditional treatments. She has been struggling to speak, sing, eat, and take her medicine. Her weight has rapidly started to decrease and this journey has taken an understandable toll on her mental health. Our prayer for Alison and her entire family is that she’s able to focus on these treatments and her healing rather than feeling the weight of the astronomical bills she’s been hit with over the last 3 years, or how they’ll be able to pay for these life saving options. Please help us rally around her and help provide financial support so she can continue to shine her beautiful light. Her family and babies need her, and so do we.
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