Memorial Fund : Honoring Sharon Tomlinson

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. To get straight to the point, I am here to support someone dear to my heart, who is in the fight of her life against Stage 4 colon cancer. Cancer can be FIERCE. It comes quickly and unapologetically, BUT it can be defeated, in more ways than one. I want to do my part, what I possibly can, in what I currently see of this fight.

At the start of her journey, I know that Sharon would post updates, and videos, and update her status more, but she is frail and unable to do so at this moment.

What I see is a fighter. Someone fighting for their life, their strength. Someone ready to kick cancer in the face no matter what! I see a husband who is such a great provider and protector and loves to do it, but deserves a mental break from the worries of overworking to provide medical needs. He deserves to be able to be fully present with his wife, and his son, and their well being, and least for a very short while. I can personally see the toll that it’s taking on him. He doesn’t see it, because he wears his crown like a champ! But that’s why God place people around you who love you, because sometimes they can see things that others can’t. Thank God for love. For fellowship.

Two lessons that I have learned from the very small parts of this journey that I have experienced is:

Love HARDER. period. In the grand scope of life, none of that other stuff even matters. Choose to love HARDER. It will change you, and change the world. Most importantly, it is what God’s heart desires.
The MOST you can do, is the BEST that you can do. Great words of our dear Mel Jackson, who always finds light and teaching points even in the roughest times. Thank God for friendships with the foundation of love. They will always fuel you.

I pondered over these words while hurting in my heart, because I felt helpless, because I couldn’t take the pain away when I can see and hear someone that I care about hurting.

But an extension of her, is her family. I was reassured in my perspective that sometimes the best way to support the people that we love is to serve the people that they love. Because their loved ones are an extension of them.

It is my intention with this Go Fund Me to gather funds to support the family for the next month of treatment. I want to note that Sharon is in Stage 4 of her journey, so her treatments are extensive and diverse, in an effort to fight. Aside from chemotherapy, many of her daily treatments take more holistic approaches to rebuild those good cells that chemotherapy kills, and those expenses come out of pocket. Daily. Not to include the medication, the living expenses of two households as Sharon’s treatment center is in Phoenix, Arizona, but her home is in Woodstock, Georgia. And this is during a pandemic, when it is a fight for life as some have to be more sensitive of their immune system than others. To say the least, this family is in the trenches and in the thick of this war, and we want to help to equip them with the weapons they need to continue this fight. Even if  for a day of relief. or a week of relief. I am asking for a month of relief, for Damion, for Dj, for Sharon. I am asking us to gather to cover facility and medical out of pocket costs for just one month, which equates to about $37,000.



Sharon’s Current Journey:

Sharon and her family have temporarily relocated to Scottsdale, Arizona and she takes the plunge to maintain her health and give the greatest fight for her life. She is currently enrolled at Envita Medical which is is a personalized treatment center located in Scottsdale, Arizona.

This facility specializes in combining research and clinical experience for a personalized treatment for aggressive conditions, including late stage cancer.

She attends treatment at this facility Monday through Friday, in which a series of treatments take place, each designed to target certain parts of her body. This includes Chemotherapy, 24/7 monitoring of her vitals, and pain management, personalized medicine, 24/7, etc.

Another one of the effects of chemo, is the constant build up of fluid around Sharon's lungs and stomach. Pictured below, is the before and after of a procedure to drain fluid build up from her stomach. This procedure, in addition to draining fluid from her lungs, takes place multiple times a week and can most times be quite painful. 












It is really a dynamic center. I will paste a link below for those who seek to understand more about this facility and their services:

https://www.envita.com 


Sharon’s Hair Journey:

One of the visual impacts of chemotherapy is hair loss, and because this journey will be the first time that any pictures of Sharon’s hair have been placed on ay form of social media, I wanted to take a brief moment to give an explanation of what that journey was like for her. 

In the beginning, it was tough. The crown that covered her head for so many years unfortunately begin to fall out in spurts throughout Chemo. It was a painful moment for Sharon to cope with in the beginning, but she found inner strength in knowing that a woman's real crown is what lies within. She wears her crown well! 






If you are able, thank you. If you are unable, I am just as grateful. Your prayers, your support, your daily decision to love HARDER, will mean just as much to me!

I can’t promise consistent updates on this post as I am very sensitive to the family and never really know when those sensitive moments will be. But I will post the great milestones here. And do my best to post, when I know it is necessary, and that’s all i can do right? Is my best.

Thank you so very much for taking the time to read this and for considering my heart.

Peace and Love to all.

~Aleshia