It's HammerTime! And what do I (Cyndi, his sister-in-law) mean by that? I am calling on our beautiful community of family and friends to rally together around Alex, Veronica and the boys to support them in Alex's battle of the butt cancer! This page will serve as a place to consolidate means of support, specify their needs, and offer updates on his journey. Loving messages, good vibes a plenty is what we are asking for and if you feel inclined to lend monetary or gift support please review the 'Special Notes' section as I will detail precisely and specifically what they need in this fight. Okay with this said, what follows is an update on Alex's cancer journey from Veronica: March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and it feels like the right time to share an update. As many of you have heard, Alex’s colon cancer has returned after we believed it had been surgically cured last year. This time we’re in for a longer journey. If all goes as planned, the path forward includes eight rounds of chemotherapy, six weeks of daily radiation at Mayo, and then surgery. The good news is that we remain optimistic that we are on a curative path. We are working closely with medical and integrative oncology at Mayo Clinic, and focusing on the things we can control: anticancer eating (very plant-forward), minimizing stress, and keeping mind, body, and spirit healthy — as Alex’s job at the Y would say. We know the news has been making its way around, and we want to say thank you to everyone who has reached out with messages, calls, and support. It truly means a lot. If we’re slower to respond, please know we’ve probably read your message and are grateful — we’ve just been navigating a lot of appointments and the realities of cancer treatment: fatigue, nausea, hair loss… and even shingles (?! who knew that would be on list.) While we’ve always been happiest living a slightly reclusive, hedge-witch-in-the-country lifestyle, we’re grateful for the circle of people beyond our neck of the woods who keep reminding us we’re not doing this alone. The boys are doing well. We’re doing our best to speak plainly with them about what’s happening while keeping their daily rhythm as steady as possible. If you’re the praying, meditating, good-vibes, spell-casting, or incantation-sending type, we will gladly take all of it. Please send whatever positive energy you feel like putting out into the ethos. We’re hopeful and taking this one day at a time. And in the spirit of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month: please get your colonoscopies and advocate for yourself. We wouldn’t have found this recurrence when we did if Alex hadn’t pushed for additional scans and blood work at his annual cancer checkup. Early detection and self-advocacy truly matter. Thank you for helping carry us through this season. Peace, love, and fuck cancer. Veronica & Alex