Tracey Callahan
Posted by Love Hope Strength on Apr 4, 2008
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In the spring of 2003, I had it all. I had a beautiful two-year-old son and another on the way. My employer had offered me a two-year contract in their Grand Cayman office and I had a view of the Caribbean from my bedroom window. Every morning I would sit on the lanai, drinking my morning coffee, staring at the sea and marveling at how truly amazing my life had become. Sure, I was tired, but I was working 80 hours a week and I was in my last trimester of pregnancy. It only made sense that I was exhausted. What didn’t make sense was the fact that I was eight months pregnant and hadn’t gained a pound.
My island obstetrician dismissed my concerns, reassuring me that many women don’t gain any weight during pregnancy. As much as I wanted to believe him, I knew something was amiss. I decided to fly back to the U.S. to deliver my son. Within three weeks of his birth, I was taken to the emergency room with what I thought was appendicitis. The doctors found a 15cm malignant tumor on my right ovary. A colonoscopy confirmed that I had colon cancer, which had spread to my ovary and into the peritoneal cavity. The oncologist staged my cancer at Stage IV. The colorectal surgeon told me to get my affairs in order because my chances of surviving for five years were “nil”.
When the doctor first told me I had cancer, there was no doubt in my mind that I would beat it. When the surgeon told me I couldn’t beat it, I got mad. Two surgeries, eight months of chemotherapy and ten PET/CT scans later, I find myself on the cusp of declaring myself officially “cured” of Stage IV colon cancer. In five years, I’ve had no recurrence. It just wasn’t an option.
I had access to some of the finest cancer hospitals in the United States. I was blessed enough to be treated at MD Anderson Cancer Center and at Duke University Medical Center. I had the best care money could buy. Combine that with my obstinacy (and in some cases, outright denial) and you have a woman with a second chance at life. Everyone deserves that chance, which is why I am honored to celebrate five years of remission from Stage IV colon cancer with the Love Hope Strength Foundation, raising money so that others have the same fighting chance that I had.
Five years later, I still have it all. I have two beautiful, brilliant boys who are the light of my life. I have a promising career in international tax with a fantastic new opportunity near Philadelphia. I can finally say I have beaten the unbeatable cancer and I am so privileged to celebrate life by helping others reach this spot where I now sit. Nobody should have to expect anything less.
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ATTENTION DONORS
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All UK trekkers who receive donations through the UK weblink will be in partnership with Love Hope Strength Foundation UK. Donations will benefit the UK charity and will be donated on behalf of the UK trekkers to the nominated cancer centre in Peru.
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All UK trekkers who receive donations through the US weblink will be in partnership with Love Hope Strength Foundation US. Donations will be tax deductible in the US and will be donated on behalf of the UK trekkers to the nominated cancer center in Peru
GETTING WARMED UP!
Posted by Shannon Foley on Sep 29, 2008
Erin, Brutus and I took a little hike to get the legs warmed up this weekend. So excited to see Molly in Peru and get going! Thanks for everyone’s support! Love. Shannon
We made it!!!
Posted by Tracey Callahan on Aug 20, 2008
I know I have been horribly remiss in my blogging duties here and I hope you will forgive me. I am absolutely delighted to tell you that not only did we raise enough money to cover the minimum donation, we left that $5000 goal in the dust. Assuming that my employer’s matching funds come through as planned next month, we have raised almost $8000 to further the fight against cancer in Peru!!! The lion’s share of that $8000 came solely from the support of my incredible family and friends and a little bit of it even came from complete strangers who were touched by my story. I wasn’t in the position to hold any fundraisers this summer so the generosity, unwavering support and, to be a bit cheesy but honest, the LOVE of so many people made this possible for me. I’d like to thank my benefactors from the bottom of my heart. Your generosity has touched me profoundly.
| Kim Angel |
| Lynn Bagorazzi |
| Jon Bishop |
| Karen Black |
| Mary Blackburn |
| Carolyn Brock |
| James Callahan |
| Dustin Carr |
| Jack Chenoweth |
| Lauryn Cherrington |
| Bryan Cook |
| Scott Cooper Joe Coxon |
| Trish Crain |
| Dana Cunningham |
| Leigh Davenport |
| Andrea Delgado |
| Danielle DeLuca-Pytell |
| Jennifer Devine |
| Elks Lodge - Lake of the Ozarks |
| Lady Elks - Lake of the Ozarks |
| Andy and Bobbie Freeberg Nancy Fritz |
| Bill Gallo |
| Patti Girvalo |
| David and Elizabeth Hasson Stacey Hastings |
| David Hogben |
| Domino Ireland |
| Bridget Julian |
| Jarrod Katz |
| Rosemary Kauffman |
| Tricia Kelly |
| Ben and Emily Kuhn |
| Pam Lavery |
| Lance Lihou |
| Leilani Luna |
| John McCausland |
| Steve and Lea Penna |
| Maria Pinho |
| Mags Poffenberger |
| Mike Quinn |
| Steve and Colleen Richardson |
| Valerie Sargent James Stevenson |
| Karin Sullivan |
| Jamie Vannoy Janet Vink |
| Heather Williams |
| David Grahame Wood |
| Yours Truly |
Our first batch of donors
Posted by Tracey Callahan on Apr 16, 2008
Hello, dear friends and family. I’m happy to report that fundraising is off to a galloping start with five donations in two days! I’d like to thank Ben and Emily, David, Patti, Jack and Mags for being the first five donors. $350 down, $4650 to go. FYI: $2500 of my donation is due by June 1st. I know it’s tax time (I just wrote a check to Uncle Sam myself), so I am incredibly grateful for your support.
We’ve received some exciting news: our itinerary has undergone a slight overhaul and we are now following the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu! One slight disadvantage is that we will be unable to bring horses to carry the big bags, as was originally planned. Being the wuss that I am, I am hiring a porter to help me out. I am nervous enough about the altitude with my pulmonary hypertension without adding the weight of a full pack. No sense in tempting fate, right? I wonder who drew the short straw and has to carry the oxygen tanks. I’ll be walking next to him!
Talk to you next week, once I land in the great state of Pennsylvania.
Cheers,
Tracey xx
