Our life changed in ways we never could have imagined. My name is Thomas, and my wife, Alyssa, is the strongest person I know. Over the past 18 months, we’ve faced one unimaginable challenge after another, but through it all, we’ve clung to faith, hope, and each other.

It started with a severe postpartum uterine infection that nearly took Alyssa’s life. She went into septic shock, her heart faltered, and she spent weeks fighting for her life in the ICU. Miraculously, she survived, but the ordeal left lasting scars—physically, emotionally, and mentally. We thought the worst was behind us, but life had other plans.

Since that harrowing experience, Alyssa’s health has been a rollercoaster. She’s battled pneumonia, a bowel obstruction, kidney complications, ovarian cysts, and the lingering aftereffects of septic shock. Each new issue was another mountain to climb, but she faced them all with a strength and grace that inspired everyone around her.

And then came the cancer diagnosis. Adenoid cystic carcinoma. ACC. It’s rare, aggressive, and difficult to treat. When the doctor said the words, it felt like the world stopped. The tumor was in her parotid gland, and surgery was necessary. Thankfully, the surgical pathology report brought us a glimmer of hope—the best-case scenario for such a grim diagnosis. But this journey is far from over.

Now, Alyssa faces weeks of daily radiation therapy. This will be followed by a lifetime of monitoring and care because this type of cancer has a high likelihood of returning. The treatments are intense, the side effects can be harsh, and the emotional toll is heavy. But Alyssa’s resilience—and our love for our three children—keeps us going.

We’re doing everything we can to support her, but we’re learning that even the strongest families need help sometimes. That’s why we’re reaching out to our village. It’s not easy for us to ask, but we can’t do this alone.