Lisa Pieper

 
​I am writing on behalf of Lisa Pieper. She was made aware of your organization through one of her co-workers at Lutheran General Hospital. My husband and I first met Lisa through our son's friends when he attended Norther Illinois University, which
was about eight or nine years ago. Fast forward to 2015 when Lisa and our son reconnected and started dating. She quickly stole all of our hearts with her warm and loving personality. We think it takes a special person to work on the neonatal unit; a
job she frequently says how much she loves.

This past December our worry turned into shock when Lisa was diagnosed with brain cancer-a glioblastoma. She had been having headaches which got increasingly worse. Lisa then began to have violent vomiting. Thankfully her general internist sent
her for a CT scan and she had surgery the following morning to remove the tumor. None of us in the room expected the worse possible diagnosis. Before we went to see Lisa our son told both families then and there that only positive thoughts were allowed
and that they were going to do whatever it took, no matter how difficult it may be, to beat the cancer. We were able to see Lisa about an hour and a half after the surgery.

She was up, talking and positive! Lisa is the one giving us strength. Thankfully she was able to go home Christmas Day.

I think the reality of the diagnosis, treatments and financial obligations set in this past week once she began to see all the specialists. But again, Lisa continues to be upbeat. They are so young...twenty-nine. We are heart-broken about the worries
resting on their shoulders.

We are well aware of all the families suffering and struggling through a cancer diagnosis and the subsequent treatments and financial obligations to endure. I am a cancer survivor myself. My husband and I would be grateful for your consideration of
support, whether emotional or financial, for Lisa. We would appreciate some of the burdens lifted so she can focus on healing. The silver lining to this is all of the wonderful support and prayers of family and friends.