Hey there friends, it’s John here. I landed safely in Istanbul this past Friday. My luggage was lost and left in Toronto. We are on our way from Istanbul to Alanya where my luggage is now destined to meet us. Anastasia finished her 3rd chemo; final round in about two weeks, followed by scans and blood work to assess its impact on the cancer.  While worried about the results, we are optimistic and pray for positive indications. We will post another update closer to then. 

I love Anastasia’s parents; having met them last year, I am excited to see them again. They epitomize selfless compassion, real kindness and authenticity.

Here is a photo of Anastasia and I enjoying our first meal together in a long time. It is what I refer to as cancer breakfast (just missing the onions and garlic): tons of locally sourced green cruciferous vegetables.

Thank you for the support and love…until next time.

John

Hello! This is Anastasia

Thank you all so much for your incredible support! I’ll be heading into my third round of chemotherapy out of four this week. After the fourth round, the doctors will assess and determine the next steps for surgery. We’re also working to figure out the timeline and associated costs. Thankfully, the chemo side effects have been minimal so far. My friends back in Istanbul were quick to jump in, doing everything they could to get me to the clinics and kick-start my treatment.

I’m fortunate that my friends are also providing me with a place to stay and driving me to all my medical appointments. Between chemo sessions, I stay at my parents' house, about an hour away from Istanbul, as we’re trying to keep costs down. Even though I have Turkish citizenship, some treatments aren’t covered by state insurance.

I’m looking forward to returning to my normal, very happy life with John and hugging my daughter and the Simpsons family, who have been so kind to me.
I’m very grateful for the chance to receive treatment in Turkey, and I can’t thank you enough for your donations that are helping me on my path to recovery.