In Support of Starr Tharp

Hello dear friends,
 
 As some of you may know, almost exactly one year ago, my Mom (Starr Tharp) was diagnosed with an invasive and aggressive form of breast cancer.
 
 For those who don't know her, Starr Tharp is a devoted pastor's wife of 45 years, mother of 3, and "MooMoo" (grandma) of 14 here (and 6 in Heaven). She is quiet and unassuming lady, a true Christian, and a dear friend to the many who know her.
 
 Her original cancer diagnosis flung my parents into a whirlwind of doctor appointments, tests, and plans of what the treatment would need to be.
 Because of the aggressive form of cancer she was diagnosed with, she made the difficult decision to take an aggressive treatment path and had a double mastectomy.
 In spite of the horrible reality and trauma of the surgery, the post-surgery pathology of surrounding areas and the results from follow-up appointments were very positive! We truly believed that God had completely healed her and removed all cancer from her body.
 It was a grueling and trying last year for both Mom and Dad, but God has been (AND IS) faithful. She is a wonderful testimony of the GRACE of God!
 
 Fast-forward one year later, to about 1 month ago.
Mom woke up in the middle of the night with her hand across her chest and immediately felt a small lump.
Her doctor immediately ordered a biopsy, and the results came back a short time later – cancer again. Recurrent, invasive ductal carcinoma.
They have not asked for help – but we know that there are many friends who would help if they knew the need they were under.
 
To put it simply, they are carrying 2 heavy burdens:
1)       Every appointment, treatment, and follow-up must be paid for UP-FRONT

 My parents do not have traditional insurance – they are part of a “cost-sharing” healthcare system, and every single appointment, treatment, and bill requires full payment up front. They obviously aren’t able to float these mountains of medical bills.

 2)       This is recurrent cancer  

I pause for a moment with this quick praise. This last week, my Mom had a PET scan to determine if the cancer had metastasized, and it came back all clear. However, she will still need an MRI to determine how far this cancer goes. 

However, she still has recurrent breast cancer. This recurrence after less than 12 months is very troubling. She will have a surgical removal of the lump, and further treatments including radiation after that. 

If you know my Mom, you know what kind of person she is. She has spent her entire life serving others—her family, her church, even people she barely knows. She is the kind of person to quietly minister behind the scenes, never wanting attention or the limelight. She would never ask for this on her own, which is exactly why we're sharing this on her behalf.

What we ask for MOST of all is PRAYER. We know that we serve a prayer-answering God. He healed her once before, and He can do it again.

God has seen fit to bring this trial into our lives, and we know that HE IS FAITHFUL. Please PRAY.

If you would like to give financially, please do. They are the two most giving people I have ever known. All of their lives, they have been givers. We know that God will be faithful to supply.

We love you. Thank you for loving my Mom.