First received Friday, February 28, 2025
For Sarah C. in Ahwatukee, Arizona who was recently diagnosed with a return of breast cancer which has metastasized throughout her body...[April 18] Sarah had been in remission from breast cancer diagnosed in 2022. New cancer has now been found in her spine, liver, lung, hip and skull and she is in treatment. Support also for her husband and young daughter...[April 27] The most recent test results show that Sarah's numbers have gone up for the cancer that is in her liver, lymph nodes, temple of her skull, lung, spine, and hip, indicating that the radiation and chemotherapy are not yet working...[May 3] Sarah is having brain surgery on Monday to remove a cancerous growth.
Update Wednesday, June 17, 2026
“The cancer that Sarah has been fighting for four years has returned and is now throughout her body. She has started new treatment at Mayo Clinic Cancer Center. She cannot start chemotherapy again until radiation is completed. Support also for her husband and ten-year-old daughter.”
First received Thursday, February 26, 2026
For 88-year-old Elaine S. in Rydal, Pennsylvania who has been admitted to the hospital with cardiac problems and is getting tests and treatment... [February 27] Elaine is too frail for surgery. Her kidneys have almost shut down. Her heart is not pumping well, but medications to make it pump better could be fatal because her valves are clogged, so the doctor has recommended palliative care. Support also for her family....[March 7] Elaine's heart is working at 10%, one valve is entirely blocked and two are partially blocked....[March 25] Elaine failed to regain enough strength to return to her apartment and is being transferred to a hospital-style room with a higher level of medical care.... [May 11] Elaine's physical condition has worsened, with deep sores on her arms and legs which the facility is trying to keep from developing gangrene. Hospice is being called in to provide comfort care.
Update Saturday, June 13, 2026
Elaine made her transition early this morning. Support also for her children and grandchildren.
First received Wednesday, April 1, 2026
For Ric T. in Austria with sudden memory loss and confusion....[June 1] After having continuous headaches, Ric is now in the hospital again. He has been diagnosed with a brain hemorrhage. It is not clear if the two issues are related and whether it is operable.... [June 4] Ric had emergency brain surgery and is recovering.
Update Saturday, June 13, 2026
Ric had a relapse. Surgery provided only temporary relief and they are looking for other options.
First received Monday, June 1, 2026
For Lea S.-G. in Gelnhausen, Germany who will soon give birth, and for her unborn child....[June 5] Her water broke and the labor is beginning very slowly.
Update Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Lior Michael was born on July 6 after a long labor. Mother and baby are both well.
First received Saturday, March 22, 2025
For Karin in Hannover, Germany with severe exhaustion.
Update Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Karin has been diagnosed with autism. She is in the initial phase of medication adjustment. The exhaustion comes from her sensitivity to loud noises and rapid sensory overload.
First received Friday, May 8, 2026
For Kathy O. in Tuscaloosa, Alabama with multiple upcoming eye surgeries.
Update Sunday, June 7, 2026
The surgeries went smoothly and progress at the one week checkup is excellent.
First received Friday, March 13, 2026
For Tom Q. in Heidelberg, Germany with advanced prostate cancer which has spread to his bones.... [April 8] Tom has already begun hormone therapy and will now begin chemotherapy. Support also for his wife, Annette...[May 14] Tom has had his second chemotherapy. He is able to eat and has gained weight.
Update Thursday, June 4, 2026
His blood PSA value has decreased significantly, which shows the treatments are working.
First received Tuesday, May 12, 2026
For Johan S. of Bellingham, Washington with multiple injuries after a mountain bike accident who will have surgery in Seattle...[May 13] Johan's injuries include a compound fracture in the right foot, a crushed right big toe bone, a separated right shoulder and a hairline fracture in the right clavicle. He has an external cage on his right leg with pins that go into the bones of his right foot to stabilize it while the swelling goes down. There will be no surgery on the right shoulder and clavicle for the time being...[May 20] Johan will have surgery on two metatarsal bones of his right toe tomorrow afternoon. Surgery on the remaining big toe bone has yet to be determined....[[May 27] The surgeries were successful. One bone was repaired with small plates and screws in a six-hour surgery. Johan is scheduled for surgery tomorrow to fix the remaining arch bone...[May 29] In addition to repairing a bone in the arch, a metal cap was placed over the big toe to protect the two pins sticking out. His surgeon hopes that no more surgeries will be required.
Update Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Johan is home and doing very well. Two months from now he will have a procedure to remove the external cage. Continued support also for his caregivers.
First received Wednesday, May 20, 2026
For Dawn C. in Tarpon Springs, Florida who is in the hospital with a fractured right knee which may need surgery...[May 22]
Her surgery was successful, and she is in recovery. Doctors inserted a rod and screws from her femur to her knee.
Update Monday, June 1, 2026
Dawn has transferred from the hospital to a rehab nursing center. She will not be able to put any weight on her repaired leg for eight to ten weeks.
First received Tuesday, May 26, 2026
For Barb A. in Seminole, Florida who is having a cardiac procedure tomorrow.
Update Monday, June 1, 2026
Barbara has been diagnosed with giant-cell myocarditis. She had an Impella heart pump inserted to allow her heart to rest, and is on steroid therapy. She will need a heart transplant within two months.
First received Tuesday, May 26, 2026
For Cate V. in England who has a weak immune system after many years of cancer and is hospitalized with a serious chest infection...[May 27] Cate has pneumonia in both lungs. She will be in intensive care on an intravenous antibiotic drip for at least five days. Support also for her family and friends.
Update Monday, June 1, 2026
Cate returned home on Friday and is beginning to feel better and regain some energy.
First received Monday, May 25, 2026
For Vince O. in Covington, Kentucky who had a stroke last Friday that paralyzed his right side...[May 26] Vince is in hospice with several malignant brain tumors and is nearing his transition.
Update Friday, May 29, 2026
Vince made his transition yesterday. Support also for his partner.
First received Tuesday, May 12, 2026
For Alice in Seminole, Florida who is in hospice care, and for her daughter Cashel.
Update Thursday, May 28, 2026
Alice made her transition last week.
First received Friday, March 27, 2026
For Miki I. in Austria with a legal dispute in an insurance matter...[April 15] The lawyer unepectedly withdrew from the case, so everything has to be started from the beginning. Miki is hoping for an out-of-court settlement.
Update Thursday, May 28, 2026
The legal issue remains unresolved. The cause of the delay is not clear. Continued support for a solution is requested.
First received Thursday, April 30, 2026
For Teresa B. in Phoenix, Arizona with a cancerous mass in her intestine...[May 5] Teresa is meeting with her colorectal surgeon on May 13.
Update Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Teresa is being assessed to determine whether the cancer has spread.
First received Tuesday, May 12, 2026
For seven-year-old Anna H. in Denver, Colorado whose tonsils are extremely sore and needs a tonsillectomy.
Update Friday, May 22, 2026
Anna is unable to have surgery because of insurance issues. Her sore tonsils are causing sleep apnea and is dangerous for her developing brain. Support is requested for her parents as they work to arrange coverage for her operation.
First received Tuesday, February 10, 2026
For Heather S.-H. in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania who has a small ductal carcinoma in the left side of her left breast... [February 24] The carcinoma is Stage 0 but has the most aggressive type of cell....[February 27] Heather is scheduled for a lumpectomy on March 17 followed by one to four weeks of radiation depending on the results of the pathology report. Her surgeon is optimistic about being able to remove all cancerous cells....[March 17] Heather's surgery went well and she is home recovering from the anesthesia. She will have a follow-up for the pathology report and treatment plan on April 1.... [April 1] The surgical area is healing well. However, pathology results showed they did not get clean margins, so Heather will have a second surgery on May 5 to remove additional tissue and a couple of lymph nodes.... [May 6] Heather's surgery went well, although she is sore. The appointment to get the pathology report is May 18, probably followed by radiation and chemo.
Update Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Heather's cancer turned out to be HER2-positive and was upgraded to stage 1 invasive. She will be starting a year of intense chemotherapy and radiation.
First received Thursday, January 29, 2026
For Judy S. in San Marcos, California who is having urethra reconstruction surgery on February 2 and is caring for her aging mother...[February 27] Judy is still recovering from her surgery.
Update Monday, May 18, 2026
Judy is in a lot of pain from a third urethra reconstruction surgery.
First received Sunday, May 10, 2026
For Elisabeth W. in Brandenburg, Germany who will have surgery on May 15 to remove a tumor in the wall of her stomach which is triggering the production of bile.
Update Monday, May 18, 2026
The surgery went well, although it took longer than expected. The tumor was in a difficult place to reach. It is now being cultured. In about four weeks doctors will know what kind of tumor it was and if it triggered the bile. Elisabeth's healing process is going well.
First received Monday, May 11, 2026
For Steve S. in Tucson, Arizona who is having pancreatic cancer surgery tomorrow morning.
Update Wednesday, May 14, 2026
The operation took more than seven hours. The nurses have him up walking. Steve is doing well.
First received Monday, May 11, 2026
For Andrea S. in Louisville, Kentucky with metastatic breast cancer who is close to making her transition, and for her husband and children.
Update Wednesday, May 14, 2026
Andrea made her transition at home today.
First received Wednesday, January 7, 2026
For Armin H. in Göttingen, Germany with end-stage pancreatic cancer...[March 13] Armin’s condition has been relatively stable for a while.
Update Wednesday, May 14, 2026
Armin has made his transition.
First received Sunday, February 8, 2026
For Laura S. in Parker, Colorado who was admitted to the hospital this afternoon....[February 25] After a week in the hospital for sepsis, Laura has been transferred to a rehab facility to continue antibiotics and physical therapy until she can walk independently.
Update Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Laura is returning home after three months in a rehab facility. She has recovered from the sepsis infection and gained a great deal of strength from the physical and occupational therapies. She still needs help to get out of a
wheelchair. Continued support as she develops more strength, and for her family and friends.
First received Sunday, February 1, 2026
For thirteen-year-old Luna S. in San Diego, California with Rett syndrome who has stopped eating and drinking and is hospitalized.
Update Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Luna is now fourteen and is nearing her transition. Continued support for her, and for her mother Zora and her siblings as they care for her.
First received Saturday, April 25, 2026
For Jerry E. in Buffalo, Wyoming who had surgery on a fracture of his left hip.
Update Monday, May 11, 2026
Jerry made his transition today.
First received Friday, March 27, 2026
For Bob Z. in Fortuna, California who received a kidney today donated by his niece, Shauna; and for their medical team....[March 31] The surgery was successful and both Bob and Shauna are recovering well. Bob’s new kidney began to function almost immediately, and he has already been taken off the special renal diet. His doctors are currently predicting that he will be released to go home ahead of schedule...[April 23] Bob was admitted to the ER today with a possible infection related to the kidney he received...[April 24] Bob remains in the ICU where he is being treated for sepsis... [April 28] Bob was released from the hospital last night. He is now on an oral antibiotic. He will remain near the VA hospital while he is monitored for infection. He hopes to hear by May 5 when he will be cleared to return home.
Update Monday, May 11, 2026
Bob has been readmitted to the hospital with another UTI.