Guided Path TCS Kick-off

Guided Path Kick-Off Fundraiser! Please help us reach $20,000 to help those diagnosed with terminal cancer in Tennessee.

Our mission: To ease the burdens of those diagnosed with terminal cancer(s), with preference towards rare and sudden diagnoses, by providing patient navigation, supplementing basic needs, providing financial assistance, and providing access to support and information resources.

You can make a huge impact in the life of someone who has received a terminal, rare cancer diagnosis. It is through the financial support of our donors that Guided Path TCS is able work hand-in-hand with our clients, to provide the support they need as they face the many challenges presented by their diagnosis.

Please consider donating today. Every day someone receives a rare cancer diagnosis that is considered terminal, and we want to be able to assist as many of these individuals and families as we can. No one should walk this walk alone; we offer support to lighten the burden.

OUR STORY:

Our Founder & CEO, Rich Boozell, was diagnosed with pseudomyxoma peritoneal cancer (PMP) in 2010. PMP is a rare cancer form of appendix cancer, at the time of his diagnosis he was determined to be stage 4 terminal and was told he had 1-5 years to live. Rich underwent treatment from 2010-2018 and experienced first-hand the horrors and difficulties of facing a terminal diagnosis with little outside support.

This photo of Rich was taken after having one of the largest surgeries out there, it's referred to as the MOAS (Mother of All Surgeries). This is the cytoreductive surgery that they use to treat rare appendix cancers, such as PMP. Cytoreductive surgery is where they open you up and remove any organ or tissue that has been compromised by cancer. This is then followed by a HIPEC wash, which is where they pump heated chemo into your abdomen and shake you back and forth for 90 minutes to get the chemo into every nook to kill any remaining cancer cells.

This surgery was followed by an extended hospital stay, life threatening complications, and ugly bouts of anxiety. Rich went through two MOAS during his active treatment, each surgery lasting over 10 hours. This picture represents the overwhelming sense of being alone, and the hopelessness Rich was feeling, all he could think was "why am I still here?"

Looking back, Rich realizes the difference having an advocate to support him through his diagnosis would have made. Someone who understood firsthand what he was going through, and someone who could have supported and advocated for him during his lengthy hospital stays.

The idea of Guided Path grew from Rich's hope that any cancer patient receiving a terminal diagnosis could be supported through the trauma of the diagnosis and any treatments that follow. That patients could have someone to help them process their diagnosis, handle affairs, help decipher any treatment options, and advocate for them at every step of their journey.

 "I know that if I had had someone focused on making sure that I had the necessary emotional support, especially from someone who had been through the process and knew what I was going through, it would have made a huge difference.”

Although Rich is a rare story of survival, and to this day is still showing no evidence of disease (NED), it was his experiences that fueled the desire to assist others who are faced with a terminal diagnosis. He understands more than most the pressing need to shine a light on terminal cancer and the needs of the families struggling with it.

In mid-2023, Rich met Co-Founder, Heidi Harris, through mutual work and they shared a conversation about Rich’s experience and his dream of starting a non-profit to support those finding themselves experiencing the same shock of receiving a terminal diagnosis.  Heidi said “You should do it. I’ll help anyway I can but….You need to do it.”

Heidi had experienced a loved one diagnosed with Lymphoma, a close friend, matron, and what she coined her ‘adopted Grandma’, Maria. She recalls how Maria had reached out to many large cancer related organizations and being elderly, could not utilize many of the now digital resources offered. She remembered the frustration in Maria’s voice when she said “There’s no help there. There’s no one to spend time guiding me through this.” No one should have to face a cancer diagnosis alone.

And so, Guided Path - Terminal Cancer Support (Guided Path) was founded in August 2023. The founders quickly got to work and Guided Path became a registered and recognized nonprofit in Tennessee before the end of the year. Guided Path is located in Eastern Tennessee, but plans to service the entire state and branch to other states as programs grow.