Kelsey’s stage 4 cancer battle: A Veteran’s Fight

Hello everyone! I’m glad you opened this to read Kelsey’s story! Kelsey and Jessica are my best friends. I have been friends with Jessica for 18 years and when she met Kelsey in August of 2021, I knew that was her soul mate. They have since married and Kelsey has became like a sister to me as well. I want to do anything I can to help them, but I can’t do this alone. As some know and this may be news to others…Kelsey is back on this road to fighting again and this time she’s going to need everyone’s help! Back in the summer of 2022, Kelsey was diagnosed with triple negative stage 2 breast cancer. Her journey started out rough that summer as they tried to insert her port and it caused a horrible infection in her blood, that alone tried to take her out. But it didn’t! She’s so strong. Jessica demanded the port be taken out and her chemo started after she healed. Fast forward some chemo treatments later, January 2023 she underwent a double mastectomy. They also took a few lymph nodes. After a few more chemo medications and lots of follow up appointments and blood draws, she was finally in remission and had just posted on Facebook not long ago how her oncologist had graduated her down to yearly checks only.

Kelsey has been in Lawrence County for a short time, but has already made such a difference in our community.

-She served in OEF in 2012 & Kuwait in 2019 as a Military Police Sgt 1st class. She has 17 years of service with the Army. While deployed she also volunteered over 300 hrs with the USO and was awarded the Meritorious Unit Award.

-Helps with Shawswick pto, and recently became employed at Shawswick school

-She coaches orbit soccer and Heltonville youth league baseball

-volunteers for 4H - this will be her 3rd year as an official volunteer

-Is part of Big Brothers Big Sisters

-Raising 3 tiny humans with Jess along with 30 chickens, 2 geese, 2 rabbits and their dogs Mando and their newest addition fur baby, a German Shepard named Freya. Jess’ kids have adored Kelsey from the moment they met her and Kelsey has loved them like her own. Kelsey loves working with children, woodworking, working in her garden, and would help anyone the moment they needed it.

About 1 month ago, we found out Kelsey’s cancer is back. This time it is stage 4 triple negative metastatic breast cancer. It has spread to her lung. Within a week of this new diagnosis, they had her back on chemo at Simon Cancer Center. This is where we will need your help! With extensive research, they have found a clinic in Houston, TX that they’d like to get her to that will help her fight. The only thing is, insurance more than likely will not cover any of the cost. Dr Burzynski’s cancer clinic works by using personalized targeted therapies which shut the cancer down at the genetic level, and it works throughout the entire body. This type of treatment will destroy the cancer cells without killing the normal cells. Dr. Burzynski‘s clinic has accepted her case. If she can make it there, Kelsey and Jessica will need to stay down in Houston for a week for her first appointment and then will need to travel back down every 2-3 months. With your help, we can make this happen for Kelsey! #KelseyStrong