This is the beginning of Candy Lunsford’s long and difficult journey to recovery….
In May of this year, Candy heard the words “you have breast cancer”. These words shook her to her core. Not only is she a wife to her highschool sweetheart, Ronnie, but she’s also a homeschooling mom to her 5 boys, ranging from 5 years to 16 years. (They have 6 boys but 1 has already graduated.)
A year ago, at the end of February, as in February of 2022, she found a rather large lump in her right breast. She told her husband, Ronnie, that she was going to take a few weeks to process what this probably meant and that she would call her OBGYN after her birthday on March 15th. Well, that didn’t happen because on March 9th Ronnie had a tree accident. Ronnie and his 3 teenage sons were cutting down a huge tree in their front yard. It shifted during the fall and landed on him and crushed his left side. Their sons managed to get the tree off of him. He had a broken collar bone, cracked pelvic bone on both sides, and some internal injuries. He couldn’t walk or use his arms, not due to paralysis, but due to injuries. At that moment Candy became his 24/7 caretaker and had to put the breast lump on the back burner to deal with later.
Later was supposed to be right after Christmas 2022, after Ronnie had time to heal from his injuries and from his November surgery to correct the internal injuries. BUT, life threw another curve ball. During the holidays their 13-year-old son, Levi, ended up getting really sick. He had emergency brain surgery in February. So, after Levi had time to heal and was well on his way to recovery, Candy finally made that appointment with her OBGYN in April.
Since that appointment, it’s been a whirlwind of appointments and a roller coaster of emotions. After several mammograms, ultrasounds, biopsies, MRIs, and breast cancer surgery it has been determined that Candy has not 1 but 4 different kinds of breast cancers, 3 different kinds in the left breast and a 4th in the right. But, this isn’t the first time that Candy has heard the words “you have cancer”. She first heard those words in January 2006, 17 years ago, when she found out she has kidney cancer. Yes, has and not had. No, she is not in remission. This cancer is from a genetic gene mutation called Von Hippel Lindau. Since that diagnosis she has already had 1 surgery on her left kidney in November 2013. They couldn’t remove all of the cancer. So she has learned to accept and live with this cancer, in both kidneys. So, at this moment Candy has 5 different cancers hanging out in her body.
Candy had breast surgery on August 4th. She had a mastectomy on the left breast and a lumpectomy on the right breast. At this moment, we know Candy will need radiation on both breasts. We aren’t sure yet if she will need chemo as we are still waiting for the OncoType results, which should arrive any day now.
She had MRIs of her abdomen a few weeks before the breast surgery and unfortunately the cancer has grown significantly on both kidneys. So much so, that if she were to have surgery today she would lose them both. So, while we are in this waiting period, recouping from breast surgery, she is taking a new drug that will hopefully shrink the kidney tumors.
It goes without saying, but Candy won’t be able to carry on with her baking business at the pace that she has been, since her surgery, through recovery, and any other treatments she may need. Her family depends on the baking business to supplement their income. This forced slowdown combined with the additional costs of treatment and everything that goes along with it means that she needs our help to alleviate some of the financial stress so she can focus on healing. If you are able to help financially, please consider donating through this GiveTaxFree. All money raised will go directly to them.
The funds raised will help cover: missed income from her baking business, treatment, medical supplies, groceries and meal prep, rehab/recovery, travel expenses to and from MD Anderson, parking fees, and other unforeseen expenses that may come up in response to Candy’s journey with cancer.
We will continue to update this page along the way, so feel free to come here often and check up on Candy, Ronnie, and the boys. We also know that your words and prayers are an incredible comfort, so regardless of financial support, we are grateful for the thoughts, prayers, and encouragement.
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6