About

Jennings, Louisiana natives Shawna and Kim Brasseaux moved their family to Ohio in 2015 to be closer to Kim’s job. While living in Jennings, Shawna ate healthy, worked out frequently, and taught classes at Jennings Health & Fitness Center. Once they were settled in Ohio, Shawna started teaching classes at the local gym. Her children joined local sports and gymnastics teams. She mad new friends, Dr. Joe & Annie Binkiewinkz. She started to get comfortable with her new life in Ohio. 

While taking a shower Shawna noticed a lump on her neck. At a wellness visit the doctor noticed and asked Shawna to watch for any changes. 6 months later the lump had not gone down. Shawna reached out to Dr. Joe & Annie because deep down she felt the storm coming. Dr. Joe referred her to a specialist, confident it was just an inflamed lymph node or cyst. Shawna had a small surgery that went well. A week or so later Shawna received a phone call from the surgeon’s office. With fear in her voice, the secretary says, “The doctor needs to see you and bring someone with you.” 

Oh, how our outlook changes when we receive new information; or information unknown. Lord I lean on you every day, but oh how it is different in this time lord. I do not want to fear. I know that you are with me. I trust your plan, Lord; I trust your hand, Lord. I rely on you for strength. Give me wisdom and strength. We become so complacent, like we have all the time in the world. Our life is but a vapor. Lord let me use this life how you want me to. Not my will, your will. 

Psalms 27 
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? When the wiled came to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army mate camp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident. 

The news isn’t good, Melanoma in the lymph node, one of the worst. If it metastasizes to the lymph system it can travel anywhere in the body. The doctor asks, “Have you had any skin issues?” In 2010, while living in Jennings, Shawna had a mole removed from her neck and it was never sent off for testing. Shawna remained in disbelief. The news just wouldn’t sink in. She kept running through her life in her head, “I was so fit & healthy. I ate right. Why is this happening to me?” 

Over the next few months Shawna is referred to different hospitals and undergoes a complete battery of tests and scans. Annie is with her every step of the way, driving her to appointments at the break of dawn, sitting with Shawna’s children. 
Here’s an excerpt from her journal from April 14, 2016:

Yesterday I got news that I never expected in my life. I was told I may have to battle finding something in my body, but they’re really not sure. Today I had to go through more tests than I’ve ever had: MRI, CT Scan, and blood work. I know, Jesus, You are with me, You comforted me today and yesterday even though I was upset, You brought Annie in my life, and what a friend she is. She came to the hospital with me at 6:45 am and stayed with me the whole time. She prayed for me. Her husband is setting up doctors for me. I hardly know them, but I feel like I know Annie. I know that’s You Lord. Thank You Lord for my help, for my strength, thank You for showing me my path, my purpose. Lord I trust You. I love You. 

Shawna decided to have a procedure done, a neck dissection. The doctor went in and removed 18 lymph nodes from Shawna’s neck. She recovered well besides some scarring, but there would be more bad news to come. A few weeks after the surgery, Shawna took a call from the surgeon, “Of the 18 lymph nodes we removed, 8 have metastasized.” She’s officially diagnosed with Stage IV Melanoma, and the severity of the situation was just too much to handle on her own. Shawna wrote the following excerpt in her journal May 3, 2016: 

Psalm 74:9-23
Remembering You Lord in our trials. Lord I know You will be with me in this health trial; in all that I walk through with my troubles of feeling overwhelmed; not being patient, not always resting in Your peace. All the things You have done in the past; You will be with us. Lord I know I have to surrender completely to You and not listen to very negative emotions and feelings of doubt. I trust You Lord. I know You will give me strength and wisdom to walk each day through this. Lord I must be everything You want me to be for my husband, my children, my family, my friends, my community. Help me Lord, to place all these things in right order and listen to Your voice. Lord I need You to help me to be patient and kind, to lead my children and to be the example You created me to be. Not to worry and compare myself to others. To keep my mind and eyes on You Lord. 

Shawna began various treatments and began to see improvement. She was in less pain after just a few months of treatment but the pain slowly returned. She’s in so much pain she cannot even wash her own dishes! The pain continues for months and she began to consider treatment facilities outside the US. Shawna writes the following in her journal: 

After April 14th, every day I will concentrate on God’s strength and mine. 
Psalms 27
The Lord is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid.
Psalms 46
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear.
Psalms 84:5
Blessed is the man whose strength is in you.

The Brasseaux’s make a trip to Louisiana to visit family but she begins to have stomach issues. They blame it on the spicy Louisiana food, but there’s also an increase in neck pain. They say goodbye to Louisiana & assume everything will subside in Ohio, but after a few days it doesn’t. Just to clear her conscience, Shawna takes a pregnancy test. It’s positive! She’s scared & happy & mad all at once. How can she be growing a little human being when her body is in this intense battle against cancer? Never in a million years did she think she’d be pregnant again. She didn’t think it was possible. Shawna shares the news of her pregnancy with Annie, whose husband (Dr. Joe) is an obstetrician. Dr. Joe agrees to be her obstetrician but prepares her for what will come next. All of the medical professionals try to persuade her to abort the baby, but Shawna chose life. Shawna put her baby’s life before her own. Shawna knew God wanted her to keep this baby and no one could persuade her any other way. God gave her this miracle for a reason. 

Psalms 31
The Lord a Fortress in adversity: In You O Lord, I put my trust; let me never be ashamed; Deliver me in your righteousness. Bow down Your ear to me, deliver me speedily, be my rock of refuge, a fortress of defense to save me. For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your names sake, lead he and guide me. Pull me out of the net, which they have secretly laid for me.

She receives phone call after phone call, all with the same information, you’re keeping the baby and we can’t do much for you. One doctor even went as far as to threaten her, “If you don’t do something soon you’ll die.” As the months pass, Shawna’s pain continues to get worse. She feels as if she’s hanging on to the back of a wagon being drug through the mud. Feeling defeated, she calls out to God again for peace, comfort & wisdom. 

Isaiah 35:3
Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear! Behold your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God, He will come and save you.”  

Shawna researched everything day after day, from treatments & therapies to diet & supplements. She filled her head with as much information as she could get her hands on. Her miracle baby was growing right on schedule. Her pains subsided drastically. Shawna and her family took a trip to California to visit one of her specialists and she was feeling so good they were able to do a little sightseeing.

Upon returning to Ohio, they celebrated her birthday, but shortly after things strange things started to happen. She experiences unbearable neck pain and loss of mobility in her arms and hands. Her arms gave out on her while driving, causing a minor accident and bending two rims on her vehicle. 3 1/2 weeks from her due date, Dr. Joe decided it was time to schedule an induction, but the weekend before the induction things took a turn for the worse. Shawna was having trouble breathing & sharp pains in her left breast. Her husband, decided she needed to see a doctor immediately.

They drove to Columbus and had tests ran but no source could be located to explain her new symptoms. They induced the baby and on Sunday, July 9th Shawna delivered a 6.71 pound, perfectly healthy, miracle baby. Her name is Chava Ann, meaning “life” in Hebrew. In a time that should be filled with great joy, they are in a time of darkness & sadness. The Oncologist came in the next day to deliver heart wrenching news. The new scans showed a tumor on the C4 vertebrae behind the esophagus, pinching off the spinal cord and causing the bone to fragment off. She also has a tumor at the top of spine and one on her spine even with her heart. Any wrong move and she could be paralyzed. Following the news, Shawna, Kim and Jennifer, her Louisiana friend, entered into an intense prayer session. Believing God for Light and Hope. The next morning the Neurosurgeon brought light, news of a treatment option and repair options for the fragmented vertebrae. Because of the location and severity of the tumors, treatment must begin immediately. 

The Brasseaux family is asking for prayer for Shawna to have continued strength to keep fighting, that God sends them the right doctors & specialists, for wisdom to make the right decisions. If you would like to follow Shawna’s story please like and share our page, FaceBook.com/SupportShawnasBattle/