From left to right: Karla  –  Sharing with school children  –  With her beloved dog  –  “Stay kind and curious!”

Love With a Capital C for Cancer

Meet my dear friend Karla. When she was first diagnosed with stage-4 NETs (Neuroendocrine Tumors), Karla learned that this rare disease was incurable. It was however, treatable. But few clinics were prepared to do so. Then she discovered that the NCI, the government-sponsored National Cancer Institute, was equipped to treat her fully-metastasized cancer.

The NCI has extended Karla’s life-expectancy by several years. Years she’s using to bless untold numbers of others: through her wonderful, life-affirming blog Flannel With Faith, and through her live readings to school children from her memoir (when health allows) about adventuring in the Ozarks with her beloved dog.

Ironically, however, even though the NCI recognizes Karla’s disease as one of the most serious forms of cancer, it is not well-known enough to make Medicaid’s list of fully-covered conditions. Hence, she’s required to pay at least $3800 a month before receiving any additional aid.

As a result, she’s filed a chapter 13 bankruptcy, which will buy her time to pay back her growing medical debts. And, in order to further reduce her cost of living, she’s moving to a small 55+ community.

“I’m not bitter or angry at God or doctors or anyone,” Karla writes, “(but) my family does get angry. My mom cries a lot and is losing her memory, so it’s hard on my family to watch. (Nevertheless), they have grown in their faith, and I have joy in my heart!!”

Karla’s treatments can be extreme, the most recent she’s labelled her “worst nightmare.” Still, with 9 tumors in her skull, 6 in her spine, 5 in her kidneys, and dozens of others throughout her body, these treatments are the key to her surviving another five+ years.

Years Karla will use to bring her irresistable spirit of hope and love to others!

Note: Karla’s sister has created a GoFundMe page to help cover medical costs. I encourage you to visit and follow her blog and, if you feel so led, to consider making a contribution here!