Help Tracy Fight Pancreatic Cancer

My name is Will, and I want to share with you the story of my sister Tracy, her beautiful family, and their battle against pancreatic cancer. Tracy is 35 years old. She's a loving wife to Johnny and adoring mother of two young children - two-year-old Adeline and 10-month-old Austin. She’s one of the most caring and generous people. She’s the kind of person who will go out of her way to help her friends and family. Prior to her diagnosis, Tracy was healthy and active. She enjoyed hiking and absolutely loved traveling. She extended, and continues to extend thoughtful care to her patients as a pharmacist working in the ER.

In January 2023, just days after Tracy welcomed her second child into the world, she noticed a hardness in her left abdomen. Weeks passed and concerns grew as there were no improvements. After a series of medical examinations, it was revealed that the mass was a pancreatic cyst that could potentially become cancerous if left untreated.

In July, Tracy underwent a major surgery aiming to remove a portion of her pancreas and spleen, but unexpected complications arose: severe abdominal pain, pancreatic leak, and high blood sugars.

A week later, devastating news arrived – the cyst that was removed from Tracy’s pancreas was tested and it turned out that cancer had already developed. Although the cyst and cancer was removed successfully with clear margins, pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive cancers. Given that there is a high likelihood that cancer cells have already spread, Tracy needed to undergo chemotherapy.

Our hearts were deeply pained as we received this news, especially in light of my cancer battle since 2019. Navigating this journey beside Tracy, we've carried a heavy burden while persistently seeking the most effective treatments for her.

The path forward is tough as Tracy faces the grueling impact of chemotherapy. She often needs to take pauses due to dangerously low white blood counts. To make matters more challenging, she has to work between her chemo sessions to keep her health insurance and to pay unexpected medical bills. Tracy and Johnny are doing everything they can to support Tracy’s chemotherapy treatment while also trying to keep things as “normal” for their young kids. Johnny works full time at a high school serving low-income and at-risk youths. With an hour-long commute each way though, Johnny tries his best to balance family and work priorities.

Tracy is fighting with all her strength to survive, not only for herself but for her two young children – 2-year-old Adeline and 10-month-old Austin. They need her more than ever.

We have never done a fundraiser before and have always felt reserved in asking, but I’m humbly and wholeheartedly asking for help to raise funds that will support my sister and her family as they navigate this. Your generosity ensures that she can focus on battling cancer without the overwhelming weight of financial strain, all while caring for her two little ones. Every donation, regardless of size, stands as a profound gesture of support that fuels our unwavering determination to overcome this adversity.

Your financial contribution will be used to support Tracy’s chemotherapy treatment and mental and physical therapy; unfortunately, there are a lot of costs that are not covered by insurance such as consulting with pancreatic cancer specialists, doing various lab tests to guide treatment, and pursuing additional therapies to maximize Tracy’s chance of beating this aggressive cancer.

We are grateful for the difference your support will make in their lives. I am hopeful that through the love of God, family, friends, and community, we are able to beat this terrible disease. Please feel free to pass this link to your network asking for support on our behalf; thank you in advance.

Thank you immensely for being a beacon of support in Tracy’s challenging journey. God bless you all for your generous hearts and support.

With much love and grace,

Will, on behalf of my sister Tracy and her family