Author: integritivity

Carla Russell is 51 years old. She and her husband, Kevin, have been married for 25 years, and she is the mother of three wonderful children, boys 23 and 18 years old, and a girl 16 years old. Carla has been diagnosed with stage 4 invasive lobular breast cancer. It has spread to her liver, and to her lungs. It is incurable. The goals of her treatment are to hold it back as long as possible, and to give her a good quality of life during this time. They have health insurance, but we hit the catastrophic limit for co-pays last year and expect to hit it again every year from now on with the high cost of some of the medicines, and treatments.

Carla and Kevin have been trying to complete her bucket list of taking the kids to all the lower 48 states in their camper. The only states left are Washington, Oregon and Idaho. The family likes national parks, historic sites, and cheesy tourist traps.

We have a trip scheduled for July to start in northern California so that Carla can touch base with some high school classmates. Then they will travel to Oregon, Washington and then Idaho.  Their problem is the price of gas, and how it is increasing significantly. Kevin has calculated the trip thoroughly and estimates that each 50 cent increase in the price of gas pushes this trip up by $500. The trip cost has gone up by a couple of thousand dollars and has reached the point where they cannot afford to go. This will likely be the last time they can travel like this as a family because of the kids’ work and university schedules.

Stella’s Wish is providing Carla’s family with enough gift cards for gas to cover what is over their budget.

 

Ruth is currently on her third line of chemo treatment for stage 4 cancer and has been out of work. The family is under the burden of medical bills but Ruth hopes to have a vacation with her family and loves the beach. She would like to give her husband a break and my children a break as their lives have been revolving around my treatments and be able to have some good memories.

Stella’s Wish Foundation has arranged for them to stay 3 nights in Laguna Beach, California.

Johnna’s wish has been granted to take a trip to Oregon from Nebraska with her kids – she wants to “show them that the world is a beautiful place”.

 

 

 

Susan’s doctor says that she has exceeded the life expectation of her stage IV terminal cancer. She has had several surgeries as well as rounds of both chemo and radiation, but the cancer is aggressive. After a recent hospitalization, Susan decided that I want to do one last thing.  She would like to go to the Disney parks a few hours from where she lives and marvel at the sights, sounds, smells, and feel of them. She wants to be where people don’t look at her with pity or sorrow, and don’t treat her with kid gloves. She wants to smile and forget how fleeting life is for a few days. She would need to rent a motorized wheelchair, because she no longer has the physical strength to walk around the parks.

Stella’s Wish is sending Susan a gift card for park passes and for 3 nights at a Walt Disney World hotel.

 

Juan has stage IV cancer and his daughter requested a recliner for him to help make him more comfortable. Granted!

James’ wife submitted a wish for him. She says he always wanted to drive a funny car. James has been suffering from oropharyngeal carcinoma and with his short life expectancy, she won’t be able to get it done for him.  Stella’s Wish has arranged for James to go to Frank Hawley Drag Racing School.

Kevin Ashlock was diagnosed in October with stage IV pancreatic cancer. A few months before Kevin’s diagnosis, his only grandson, best friend and fishing buddy passed away – his 13 year old grandson, Ethen. Kevin and Ethen spent every weekend together since Ethen could walk and talk. They were inseparable. Since Ethen’s passing Kevin hasn’t done the things he used to, like fishing.  Ethen’s mother made a wish for Kevin for a vacation with his only son to go fishing and create magical memories.  Stella’s Wish Foundation is helping to make that happen.

Shereen Peer was 46 years old when she mysteriously fell sick and suffered with pain. The doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong and she suffered for 4 years until being diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Unfortunately the cancer has spread to her pelvic and tail bones and to other areas, so she is struggling with pain and finding it difficult to sleep, sit and walk.  Shereen wished for a mattress that would be more comfortable during this time. The foundation is granting her wish and reimbursing for a new comfy mattress.

Justin was diagnosed in October of Malignant neoplasm metastatic to peritoneum (stage IV). Justin, who is a 43-year-old, has impressed all he has come into contact with so much so that the Cancer Center staff adopted his family for Christmas. He is a single dad/sole custody parent of two boys, a 5-year-old and a 12-year-old. They live in a very rural area of Missouri. Justin has recently become too weak to work so he has been focused on providing for his children’s future, and tries his best to keep their lives as normal as possible. Staff from the Cancer Center suggested that a surprise wish for a “night on the town” to see Christmas lights would be such a nice break and something for the boys to remember.

Stella’s Wish Foundation has arranged for Justin Blunt to take his family and 5 guests on a limo ride thru the WONDERLIGHT’S CHRISTMAS light display at World Wide Technology Raceway on Dec 20, 2021 and then to dinner at Lombardo’s Restaurant in St. Louis, Missouri. Thank you to Kelly’s Limousine for helping with a discount.

 

 

 

Joe Stinebaker has stage IV cancer in his lungs and it is spreading fast.   Joe is on Hospice care and his wife has been taking care of him full time.  Joe’s wish for a recliner so he can sit and sleep easier has been granted!