Author: integritivity

Jessica Lee Sides was diagnosed with Stage 4 Glioblastoma brain cancer in 2014. She has undergone 3 brain surgeries, Chemotherapy, Radiation, and Avastin treatments. She has been kicking cancer’s butt since then. She has MRI’s every 6 weeks. They were clear up until about a year ago when cancer cells were thought to be forming. Back on Chemo. Chemo treatments stopped late in 2019. Throughout the month of December, Jes started showing symptoms. Unfortunately, the tumor has grown back. Doctors want to start immune therapy, but as of right now it is the only treatment they recommend. Doctor says to keep her comfortable. She cannot walk and cannot be left alone.

She married Tyler on October 31st, 2015, and the love the two share is unbelievable. He is her rock, he has stood by her side, he takes care of her. She has been on a strictly organic diet since the diagnosis, and he has become her personal chef.  They both fell in love with Las Vegas years ago, and have gone every year. They are huge hockey fans, so were excited when the Las Vegas Golden Knights became an NHL team. Jessica has followed every inch of this team. She has watched them with such emotion. Family reached out to her favorite player and he has sent her a short video of encouragement. The smile on her face truly says everything. She watched it on loop for over an hour! In the video, he tells her if she gets well enough to come Vegas, he will make sure she attends a game, even offering her a signed jersey.

Stella’s Wish Foundation is sending Jessica to Las Vegas in an RV to attend a hockey game and see the sights.

Pat Barber not only has Stage 4 breast cancer (which has metastisized) but also has Multiple Sclerosis. She is a fighter, but time is short and the only thing she really wants is to spend time on a beach with her husband. She has just learned that the cancer is now in her brain too.

Stella’s Wish Foundation is granting her wish and sending Pat to the Hilton Marco Island Resort to enjoy some beach time!

The employees at Macy’s in St. Peters donated luggage for their trip!

Coni Jo Kapets is a 49 year old married mother of two with stage IV breast cancer with metastasis to liver and bone. She is currently on her fourth line of chemotherapy treatment, after surgery and radiation therapy. The fourth line of treatment was initiated after most recent MRI showed progression of disease involving significant areas of her spine, encroaching on spinal canal. Coni was employed as a ward clerk at the hospital where she has been getting treatments for the past five years until she was no longer able.  Hospital employees submitted a wish for her to be able to go any place warm to boost to her spirits at this time in her life.

Coni is being granted a stay at the Hilton in Marco Island, Florida.

 

Daniel Stewart and his wife were not able to take a honeymoon due to his treatment for grade four glioblastoma.  Their wish is to go to Hawaii for a long past due honeymoon. Daniel and Erin will have their dreams come true, Stella’s Wish Foundation is sending them to Hawaii in March of 2020 to celebrate their love and have fun during this dark time. They will have hotel stay and a rental car to travel with.

Amanda’s wish is  to take her 11-year-old son to see a wrestling match in Texas. They will get front row seats and will get to do a meet and greet with a few wrestlers!

 

 

Francis Lawrence wished to take her husband and daughter with her for a long weekend to the Great Wolf Lodge in Texas to enjoy meals together and get spa treatments. She has not had one-on-one time with them since she was diagnosed and is concerned that she will not have another opportunity due to the cost of the cancer. She wants a time away where chemo, shots, and treatments are not part of their daily life.  Since they live close enough to drive there, Stella’s Wish Foundation is granting her wish by providing two nights in a suite with a spa treatment at Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, TX.

Albert Billups is going through aggressive chemotherapy because his doctor at Madison University said nothing else can be done but chemo.  Al has a fiance and they have two daughters, ages 3 and 10.  Al is fighting for his daughters and wishes he could take his little family to DisneyWorld and to Florida to see the beautiful blue ocean.

Stella’s Wish is granting Al’s wish with a $1,000 gift card to help get he and his family to Florida for some family time away from doctors & hospitals.

 

Mitchell Walker has known about his stage 4 cancer for about 8 months now. He is still to care for himself still and have some energy to do things but they don’t know how long that’ll last. He’s always been full of life and this has drained him so much mentally that his girlfriend asked for something to brighten him up during this difficult time. His “bucket list” includes skydiving, a NASCAR racing experience and visiting California.

Stella’s Wish Foundation has granted Mitchell a NASCAR experience at Richard Petty Driving Experience in North Carolina. Their experience includes instruction and getting to drive a real NASCAR Race Car by himself!

Unable to travel last year after her terminal cancer diagnosis, Beverly Osterberg has fought hard to reconcile her diagnosis to a joy-filled life this side of eternity. Her dream has been to take a train trip to New York and feels up for a trip now.

Beverly is a strong, independent woman. She does not have a caregiver but she selflessly cares for family, friends and neighbors in her community. She comes by it quite naturally. She made caregiving her career and provided love and support to people who were otherwise ignored by society. She was frontline staff for homeless people placed in a mental health facility. She was doing this work at the time of her diagnosis. She tried to continue her work with homeless people until her body would not let her do it anymore.

Beverly has now turned more of her attention to family, friends and neighbors. She inspires the Excell hospice team because they can see that even though she does not have a caregiver, she has made it her mission to care for her community. Excell arranged for an interview with a local magazine called Caregiver magazine because they feel Beverly’s story is incredible and they want to her empower her to tell it for the magazine. They requested assistance in granted her wish so that she can take the train trip she has been hoping for.

Beverly Osterberg’s wish is being granted; Stella’s Wish Foundation has given her a $500 gift card to help cover the cost of a train ride from Oklahoma City to New York City.

Mary Herring (Katie), was originally diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 28 and underwent radiation, chemotherapy, and a double mastectomy. As of February, 2019 her new diagnosis is metastatic breast cancer that has spread to her liver, bones, lung, and possibly more. She has spent the last two and a half years fighting for her life while still being a wife and mom (to a beautiful 8 year old daughter). She has to travel 3 hours to each chemotherapy treatment at MUSC in Charleston, SC and is unable to work because of her diagnosis. The family is not sure how this new treatment is working or how much time she may have but the one thing the doctors have told them is she will never be cured, as they once hoped.

Mary and her daughter both love Harry Potter, in fact, you can find them most days snuggled on the couch watching it together. She has to use a wheelchair for long walks and sometimes can use a walker but would love to see Harry Potter World in Orlando.

Stella’s Wish has arranged a 3-day park pass at Harry Potter World and a stay at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort to spend time with family and relax.