Help the Helms - Tracy's Breast Cancer Battle

Anyone who knows Tracy and Greg Helm knows, firsthand, the meaning of the word "giving". As one of Tracy's best friends, I know this all too well. For 18+ years, Tracy and Greg have given me more in the way of friendship, laughter, light, compassion, companionship and caring than I ever could have imagined and so now, it's my turn to help give back to them.

Tracy was unexpectedly diagnosed with breast cancer on 10/13/22 at the age of 43 after a routine mammogram. After having biopsies done on 10/26/22, she was eventually diagnosed as Stage II on November 1st. CAT scans were done almost immediately on 11/3/22 which led to a change in diagnosis to Stage IV breast cancer on 11/7/22 meaning the cancer had metastasized to her hip, rib and cranium. Tracy was scheduled for 6 rounds of chemotherapy to start, the first was on 11/15/22. Her 6th and final treatment of this first go-round was last week on 3/9/23. Tracy had to learn the hard way, very quickly, how her body would react to chemo treatments and how to overcome the side effects which wasn't an easy task.

Tracy's next steps include a CAT scan on 3/24/23 to get a sense of what effect those chemo sessions had on the cancer and then a meeting with the oncologist to determine what the next logical steps are once they get an idea of what things look like now.

During all of this, Tracy has not been able to work so the family was reduced to Greg's income and some disability income she was able to obtain. Greg and Tracy's daughters, Alex and Bailey, are exceptional volleyball players and continue to play for both rec leagues and their school teams, sometimes traveling out of state to do so. Greg and Tracy both coach volleyball as well and continue to volunteer with their daughters at church (LCBC Lancaster) as they have done for many years.

My goal for this fundraiser is to simply ease the burden of this nasty disease for my best friends and their daughters who mean the world to me. I want to make it easier for them to order takeout if they just don't have the energy to cook, make it so they don't have to worry how to fill up the gas tank before a long drive to a volleyball tournament, to help with college expenses for the girls, or create a little cushion in their savings for a rainy day, or give them a vacation when Tracy hits remission. Every little bit helps to ease the mind when there are so many more important things to think about during a cancer diagnosis.

I have always said that Tracy has never met a stranger, and I'm hoping all of those who've met her will donate, share and pray for Tracy's health and will pray for peace, strength and love for her, Greg, Alex and Bailey.