Support Terri's Urgent Cancer Treatment Journey

Thank you for investing your time to read about our precious sister, Terri Johnson Hamby.  

For those of us who know Terri, we know that “to know Terri is to love her”, and to know her is to be loved BY her!  She’s a wife, mom, daughter, sister, and friend, but most importantly she is an amazing Christian woman. She loves her Creator and Lord, and as a result she is salt and light and has a beautiful and radiant spirit.  She’s a faithful prayer warrior, a charismatic leader, and a true lady with grit and grace.  I know without a shadow of a doubt we can all agree that we are a better person because we have been blessed to have her in our lives, whether it’s been a lifetime or just a chapter.  If you’re a friend of Terri’s, if you able to recall the first time you met her, more than likely, she was the one who introduced herself first, and she likely carried the always awkward “first conversation” that began a lasting friendship!  She makes us laugh so hard when we’re up and she sheds big tears with us when we’re down.  She loves us all fiercely, uniquely, and so, so well.  We love her for that.  

Maybe you have never had the opportunity to meet our precious Terri and only know of her through church or school during her many years of teaching.  Or maybe you witnessed her across the way supporting her husband, Mark, while he coached basketball or track during his many years of coaching.  Perhaps you shared a bleacher with her while she watched-on during any number of basketball games her three children; Aaron, Lyndsey, and Olivia played.  Maybe, by God’s orchestration you have no idea who Terri is, but this has made its way to you by the direction of the Holy Spirit.  No matter the circumstance, we as a family want to thank you for taking the time to stop and hear our hearts. Our family’s desire is to best support Terri and Mark as they navigate her journey and her next steps in her on-going fight against stage three ovarian cancer.  

Hi, my name is Jamie Walker.  I’m Terri’s youngest sister, and it is my privilege to start this page and to write on behalf of my parents, Paul and Linda Johnson, my three other siblings, Paula Davis, Shannon Holt, Scottie Johnson, and Terri’s three children who I mentioned above. As a family, we would like to give you an update on Terri’s progress and ask you to join us in this effort to support the direction God has made clear to her and Mark as to what steps they need to take next.  

As of this morning, at her second post-chemotherapy follow-up appointment, Terri received a report that her tumor markers have risen again - which is not what any of us were hoping to hear.  As many of you know, Terri was diagnosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer back in August of 2023. She has been battling cancer with rounds of chemotherapy, had total hysterectomy surgery, and has adopted radical lifestyle changes. Terri has not only received the absolute best cancer treatments from CARTI in Little Rock, but back in October after she was told that the cancer had begun to grow again, she lived in a camper for six weeks in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, so that she could receive naturopathic treatments from a very prominent cancer specialist at Divine Health.  In mid-December, when she returned for a follow up at CARTI for a CT scan and more bloodwork, both confirmed what we all had been dreading to hear. The cancer was indeed growing again. Both her oncologist and naturopathic specialist gave her “a next step” action plan.  Both plans involve going out of state to receive treatments, and both are very costly and require a lot of money out of pocket.  After much prayer and discussion, Terri and Mark feel that while both options have benefits, the next step they believe that God is leading her to is the more integrated, naturalistic approach to healing.  They have done much research and heard many testimonials about this approach, and it seems to fit Terri and her needs perfectly - but at significant cost.  After this morning’s appointment, it is evident that she must act swiftly and move forward to her next stage of fighting.  

As we all know, money is no object to our Great God!  We also know that God created community and blesses us to be a blessing!  It is our desire as a family that money would not stand in the way of Terri receiving the medical care she needs to help heal her body from this dreadful disease. We know that this is a need far beyond what we as a family can achieve, but one that requires faith, hope, and humility.  Mark and Terri have done their best to research and calculate what they believe it will cost them to go and get Terri treatment at a world renown cancer center located in Mexico.  She will stay there for three weeks, come home, then later return there for an additional period of time (not yet determined) and finally return home again.  It is a very aggressive type of treatment and has been proven over and over to heal cancer patients with hard-to-treat cancers like ovarian cancer, and we are so very hopeful and prayerful that this will be her last step to healing.  The exact cost will depend upon a few things that will be determined during the course of treatments, but right now as it stands, they expect with flights, lodging, the actual treatments, and other out of pocket expenses to be around $50,000.  

With that said, I ask you first and foremost to please pray for Terri.  If you feel that’s all you can do, we are so very grateful for that.  Please pray for God’s hand of healing to sweep over and throughout her body, to purify and rid her body of every cancer cell.  Also, please ask God to rain down His perfect peace for Terri and Mark, as this dollar amount has presented them a tremendous challenge. Secondly, I ask on their behalf and on behalf of all our family to prayerfully consider donating to Terri’s cancer medical fund, if you feel led to donate. Any amount great or small is so appreciated. This money is meant only to help give peace to them and lift the financial burden of receiving the proper medical treatment and care that Terri desires and needs.  We sincerely appreciate your thoughtful prayers, love and unwavering support! May Terri be healed and God alone be glorified in and through our partnership of prayers and efforts!  I pray it be so, in Jesus mighty name, Amen!

As I was writing to you (anyone and everyone who would take the time to read my family’s collaborative heart, thoughts, and prayers for my dear sister today), God reminded me of this declaration of scripture that I have personalized and hold so dear to my heart.  God showed me how my personalized version of these verses are so applicable for Terri and her fight.  Please allow me to share Philippians 1:12-14.  It says, “Lord, after this suffering, let it be said that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.  As a result, make my Savior clear to those around me.  Because of my suffering and willing perseverance, cause others to be encouraged to speak The Word of God more courageously and fearlessly.”  I pray it be so for everyone who has or will come in contact with Terri and Mark or hears her story that God continues to unfold.

In His Grip,

Jamie Walker