Heidi's Fight with Cervical Cancer

To know Heidi is truly to love her – anyone who has met her even once can attest to this fact.  Her beautiful smile and sweet spirit radiate love, and leaves a mark on your heart that no amount of time or distance can diminish.

Our precious Heidi is now in the fight of her life.  At the age of 38 years old, she was recently diagnosed with a rare and aggressive Small Cell Cervical Cancer.  Heidi was told after her first round of PET & CT scans that her disease is terminal, and has spread to her liver, lungs and abdominal lymph nodes.  The doctor told her that it would take divine intervention for her to be cured.  She is immediately starting 3 rounds chemotherapy, in an effort to give her more time.  She will fight with everything she has for more time with the loves of her life, her sons.  To say that Heidi adores her boys, Grant and Gabriel, is an immense understatement.  They are her heart and soul, for whom no mountain is too high to climb. 

Heidi is placing her faith in The Lord, just as she has her entire life.  To know her for any amount of time is to know that her feet are firmly planted in the truth of His promises.  This is our girl, sharing a bit of her heart…. “I am honestly taken by surprise and in shock, but I know God is not.  He is in control and my trust remains in Him.  I am praying for a miracle.  Please pray for me, my children, and my family.  God is good and sovereign and I know He has me in the palm of His hand.” 

This beautiful, kind soul is also a fierce warrior.  She has worked incredibly hard, facing insurmountable odds at times, to be a mother and person who leads by example.  Heidi has been a single mother since her boys were toddlers, but still found a way to put herself through nursing school.  She works countless hours to provide a wonderful life for her boys.  All the while, she is the first person to help without even being asked, lavishly pouring out her love to those around her.  Her children, parents, grandmother, siblings, nieces, nephews, friends… we all adore our amazing Heidi. 

What I want to tell you, because Heidi is too humble to ever do so, is just how much she could use our help right now.  Heidi worked as a contract employee for a Nursing Agency, providing in-home care for children with special medical needs.  As such, she has to pay for her own insurance and does not have any medical or personal leave.  When she quit work last week to focus on beating this awful disease, it was literally her last pay check.  She has moved in with her parents to help offset some of the financial burden, but there are still insurance premiums and smaller bills to cover.  Not to mention, she will soon begin receiving medical bills from her treatment. 

Heidi has made it clear that she wants to invest her time and energy focused on her boys and family.  Her greatest desire is to spend as much time with them as possible, and provide them with opportunities to make wonderful memories.  Whether this is a dinner out with her boys when she is feeling well enough, or a trip somewhere as a family, she is committed to both fiercely fighting and living for her boys.

Here is where I challenge you – friends, family, and friends of friends.  While Heidi needs our prayers more than anything else at this time, won’t you be the hands and feet of Christ to her and her boys?  Things that Heidi would never ask for herself, I am boldly asking of you.  Please consider how you can help meet tangible needs for her during this time.  These needs include needs of both the body and spirit.  Whether it is not having to worry about her monthly insurance premium or taking her boys on the Disney Cruise they have wanted to go on together - I am hopeful that we can find a way to help provide this sweet woman the financial resources to focus on fighting and living well. 


To be clear and transparent, any money donated here will be used at Heidi’s discretion.  The purpose of all donations is to allow her a way to spend her days focused on beating this awful disease, covering medical bills, and spending her time with her boys. 

My family has personally been on the receiving end of such generosity when my niece received an organ transplant.  I can promise you that nothing is as overwhelming, humbling, or as tangible of an expression of Christ’s love. 

Won’t we find a way to shower our sweet Heidi with an outpouring of love and support, leaving her to realize how much more extravagant is the Father’s love for her?  

I am fervently praying and supporting this amazing woman alongside you.

- Amy Surrency Nash