Her mom and dad both served in the U.S. Army, so in 1988, fresh out of high school, Lisa enlisted in the armed forces.

“My parents inspired me to join,” she said. “But I also wanted to get out of the house.”

She worked in satellite communications repair, bouncing around between military installations all across the country, including Fort Jackson, Fort Gordon, Fort Leonard Wood, and Fort Bliss – the final stop of her career.

After 10 years of service, Lisa was honorably discharged and started thinking about the next phase of her life. She didn’t take long. Later that same year, Lisa started and ran a nonprofit organization to help women in crisis called Heal In Transition.

She worked to provide aid for women, guiding clients to resources to establish stability in their lives, including assistance in acquiring food, shelter, and physical and mental health services. She also helped create an entrepreneurial program for the unemployed and underemployed and even worked with Veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress.

Had it not been for news that upended her life, she would likely still be in that role today. 

In the late 2010s, Lisa had a routine breast exam that revealed abnormal findings. When doctors came back with a diagnosis, she was shocked. It was Stage II breast cancer. 

Lisa had surgery and underwent holistic treatment and seemed to be doing better. But during a follow-up in 2020, she was told that her cancer had spread. She was diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer, a late-stage form of breast cancer in which the cancerous cells have spread (metastasized) beyond the breast.

All types of breast cancer begin in the breast tissue, but the diagnosis becomes more serious once the cancer is no longer localized to one area. It commonly spreads to the bones, lymph nodes, lungs, liver, and brain. 

That’s true for Lisa, too, who has experienced multi-organ impact. She has undergone breast, lung, and stomach surgery, plus a hysterectomy, and the cancer that spread to her brain has caused complex partial seizures.

Needless to say, the last few years have been beyond difficult. Lisa is exhausted from near-constant appointments, scans, tests, and procedures. She’s tired. 

“I’ve faced a lot of resistance from Western doctors,” she explained. “Because now I want to focus more on holistic treatment options. I don’t want to have any other surgeries or complex procedures.

“From my understanding, cancer cells love sugar. I hope to kill the sugar and shrink the tumors through IV Vitamin C therapy and other supplements.”

Not surprisingly, the astronomical cost of medical care has severely impacted her life and ability to fund additional care continually. Because of her health, she can no longer work, so simply keeping the lights on and putting food on the table can be stressful and draining.

The cost of the IV Nutrient Therapy is $4,406 for 12 sessions. But if it could give Lisa some good days, some energy, and maybe relief, it would be worth it.

Lisa’s sister started digging to see if they could find some help and support, and that’s when she clicked on ChiveCharities.org.

For more than 10 years, we’ve proudly supported Veterans, first responders, military families, and individuals with a rare medical diagnosis with life-changing aid. Lisa checks off most of those boxes herself. We were proud to be able to support her.

Thanks to your generous contributions, Chive Charities fully covered the cost of Lisa’s 12 IV Nutrient Therapy sessions for a total impact of $4,406. Because of you, she was able to start those treatments this week.

October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so we asked Lisa to share her advice with anyone out there who might be impacted by breast cancer. Her words were powerful:

“Never stop having hope. Just because you’re given a death sentence doesn’t mean you have to accept it.”

Spoken like the true fighter she is.

If you want to be part of making the world 10% happier, join our amazing community of supporters with a one-time or monthly donation. You’ll be amazed at what $10 can do – and we’re ready to show you. DONATE HERE.