Treatment Update:
Trish & family
Long Overdue Update: 12/29/23 –
Hello, dear friends and family! Happy New Year! We are so grateful for each of you! Your unwavering support means the world to us.
Trish has completed 7 rounds of intense chemotherapy. While chemo cells are shrinking/being destroyed, the tumor/mass has not really changed- especially for the step of surgery to remove the cancer from the Pancreas. Currently the Tumor still occludes (surrounds) the main arteries that carry blood in and out of the pancreas to other organs. The surgery is too risky right now to proceed and tumor needs to be smaller or become unhinged from the arteries.
With that being said, the next step is intense proton radiation therapy for 5 weeks. Trish will be attending a clinic here in Hampton where she will receive radiation treatments every day Monday through Friday for 5 weeks total. During this 5 weeks, Trish will also be taking oral chemo medications, following the same schedule as her radiation. Then the docs will reevaluate and see if surgery is a possibility.
Trish has had a trying time from chemotherapy treatments to several visits in the ER due to pancreas attacks and overall unmanageable pain. Her heart has raised a few concerns too. Her EKG showed sinus tachycardia and some abnormal behaviors and is being monitored closely. Trish continues to try to stay positive and upbeat, although one cannot stay this way 100 percent of the time. She has battled some depression and sadness over it all. A hard road she is going down, but will come out on top for sure!
The biggest hurdle right now Trish and the family is facing is the possibility of losing their home of 10 years. Trish has always worked and provided, and this is just not possible at this time with all the treatments and her being unwell. This worry has caused Trish a great deal of stress which is not helping her at all. If you have it in your heart to help support Trish and the family to get their home back on track, please do so and this would be so appreciated. This is the most urgent need right now for the family and any help we can give helps them not have to worry about finding another place to stay with a family of 6 during the midst of her treatments and fighting for her life against this ugly cancer.
Trish continues to fight and wants me to extend her sincere gratitude and appreciation for all so many have done. Continued prayers and positive vibes being sent her way is still very much appreciated. She definitely feels the love and support. Keep it coming friends and thank you greatly for being so amazing and supporting such a wonderful person in her aggressive cancer fight of her life. <3
More to come as Radiation treatments start. Wishing you all a positive and healthy New Year 2024. Hoping everyone’s Christmas was amazing and full of love and happiness!
9/28/23 First Treatment Update: Trish began her chemo journey last week on 9/19 (which was delayed a week from original start date of 9/12), she endured a 4-hour session at St. Mary’s (Richmond, VA), followed by 48 hours of the second chemo medication at home through her port. She’s been grappling with challenging side effects like nausea, fatigue and effects of balancing meds. She’s also taking new medications to aid digestion, help her eat, reduce nausea, addressing the challenges posed by the mass on her pancreas, i.e., managing jaundice flares resulting from enzyme imbalances.
Next Week: Starting the week of 10/3, Trish’s chemo treatments will be in Newport News, closer to home until further notice, as she continues her treatments.
While these adjustments are difficult, her family is by her side and your support serves as a lifeline during this trying period for Trish and her family. Trish sends her love & gratitude to you all and she will persist with her every-other-week chemo regimen; we’ll keep you updated as we navigate this journey together. Thank you for sharing this campaign as often as possible and just for being here with her. Light & love to you all, stay tuned!
Update 9/11/23: Your incredible support means the world to us! Last week, Trish had her port implanted at St. Mary’s, followed by some essential tests. Tomorrow (9/12) marks the beginning of her chemo journey.
We have some uplifting news to share: the cancer is localized in her pancreas and hasn’t spread elsewhere. This makes immediate chemo crucial to prepare for mass removal. The challenge lies in its proximity to her arteries, but our medical team is on it.
This week: Trish starts her weekly chemo tomorrow, (9/12), alongside a stint replacement. A week later (9/19) she will begin genetic testing and we will receive her PET scan results. (updated 9/12: Chemo initiation was delayed to instead begin following week on 9/19 due to port procedure scheduling and mitigating infection).
Please, keep sharing this campaign: We made awesome progress since starting this campaign and need to keep going for Trish and her family so they do not need to stress and can catch up financially. Your emotional support, prayers, love, and positivity continue to fuel our spirits. Thank you for standing with Trish and her family on this journey! Stay tuned!
Campaign Details:
~Meet Trish~
We are here to share a story of strength and compassion, the story of Trish Light, a generous, selfless, and vibrant 43-year-old, a devoted wife, and a mother of four from Yorktown. Her kids are ages 3 through 18; Hannah, 18 and a college freshman, Emma is 14 and a high school freshman, Bryson, 7 and second grader and Lily is 3 (going on 30) running the house, and her hubby, Derick, by her side. Trish has an infectious smile and a roaring laugh, she is a lover of life, a wise sage, loves everything under the sun and is always listening to music or singing. Beach days with her family? Yup. Grooving to reggae rhythms? Definitely. Dancing like nobody’s watching? That is Trish! Her favorite color is green, and she loves green palm trees. Trish is a collector of sea horses, and she LOVES llamas! A quote that describes Trish:
“I love people that have no idea how wonderful they are and just wander around making the world a better place” -Unknown
Trish has this uncanny knack for making the world a better place as she is always helping someone in need or brightening someone’s day with her infectious positivity, a friend or a stranger. She’s the real deal, my friends. The coolest thing we have witnessed thus far, is seeing Trish rapidly adjust to this daunting diagnosis and face the challenge of pancreatic cancer treatment in the coming days, she remains the same unshakable, remarkable Trish—a devoted mother, a loving wife, a cherished friend, and an extraordinary & caring individual in every sense.
The Diagnosis:
Now, let’s talk about the fight. Trish is embarking on a six-month battle against pancreatic cancer. She has an adenocarcinoma in the head area of her pancreas. The journey commences the week of September 6th with the installation of a chemo port. Chemotherapy will kick off the week of September 11th, with an initial two-month phase, followed by an evaluation to chart the course for surgery to remove the mass, considering the challenge of the mass’s location and proximity to particular arteries, tricky tricky. Following the surgery, more chemotherapy will be expected landing us at a current 6-month target of nothing but SUCCESS.
$Financial Goal:
Let’s talk numbers: Trish and her family are facing a financial whirlwind where income is overshadowed by new bills and overall expenses, substantial mortgage, caring for a family of six, many medical costs are only partially covered or not covered at all, already beginning to pile up.
$55,500 over the next six months: This initial goal takes into account the costs associated with Trish’s cancer treatment, the family’s basic living expenses and any other additional medical or family related expenses (medication, transportation, children’s school needs, unforeseen expenses, etc.).
⦁ To date, her journey has already included an unexpected helicopter flight from Newport News, VA hospital straight to St. Mary’s Hospital ER in Richmond, VA for an emergency surgery, along with another ER visit to prior the same week. These are just the first chapter in the book of expenses.
⦁ There’s more to come with her chemotherapy treatment and another surgery on the horizon, which pancreatic cancer treatment alone averages $25,000-$35,000+ in out-of-pocket costs, after insurance!
⦁ Trish’s health prevents her from working at the moment, understandably, and her family needs our support more than ever.
⦁ Every dollar you contribute is 100% tax deductible for you and will directly impact Trish and her family during this challenging time. Your support will help cover essential medical expenses, ensure that the family can keep up with their growing daily needs.
GOAL: $55,500
Our Call to Action:
⦁ Donate: Make a tax-deductible donation for Trish today, which will impact her family immediately and help us reach the goal to reduce the financial stress.
⦁ Spread the Word: Share this campaign with your friends & family on your socials, don’t be shy. Your support means the world to Trish and her family, and together, we’ll light her path, showing cancer that it’s taking on an unstoppable force.
⦁ Stay Updated: Keep an eye on the campaign updates section to track Trish’s progress and see how your support is making a difference. Allow notifications with email and receive email updates.
⦁ Send Your Encouragement: Leave messages of hope, love and encouragement for Trish and her family. Your kind words can brighten their day.
Closing Notes:
With GiveTaxFree.com, your donation to Trish is 100% tax-deductible for 2023. It’s a win-win that empowers you to make an impact! As we journey alongside Trish, there will be updates and milestones to celebrate. We’ll keep you in the loop, and you’ll be a part of every victory, big or small.
Friends & family, let’s come together and show her that she’s not alone in this fight. Your donations are not just a lifeline; they’re a testament to the power of community and love. In the words of Trish herself, “We got this!” Thank you for reading and for just being here! More to come!
Sending “light & love” to you all,
Trish, Derick, Hannah, Emma, Bryson, Lily-pop, Ash, Aunt Charlie, Reeses, Maco-baco & Suga