It has been years of daily health struggles for Marcy Fyock Cheeseman of Owego.
After daily battles through symptoms such as chronic fatigue, severe joint and muscle pain, and cognitive dysfunction, plus years of searching for answers and receiving treatments for varying medical conditions, her journey led to the Stram Center in Albany, N.Y. It was there she received the answer she sought for so long: Marcy was diagnosed with Chronic and Neurological Lyme Disease.
According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC,) an estimated 476,000 individuals are diagnosed with Lyme disease in the United States every year. And now, Marcy is one of them.
Her disease is debilitating, is progressing rapidly, and is impacting her daily functions. While Marcy does receive medications to treat her disease, her current regimen is very harsh to her body. The best option at this time for Marcy is a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) line treatment at the Stram Center which will administer her medications in such a way that alleviates the stress on her organs and throat. This will require weeks of treatment at a facility away from home. While this treatment will be specifically tailored to her type of Lyme disease, it is not fully covered by her medical insurance.
Friends and family are coming together to help raise funds so Marcy can have this life-changing treatment. A Spaghetti Supper and Basket Raffle benefit is being held from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 6, at the Southside Fire Station, 3120 Waits Rd., Owego. The cost is $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children under age 12. Take-out dinners are available. Many area businesses have donated items for the raffles. Funds raised will assist with all out-of-pocket costs not covered by insurance.
According to a Facebook page set up for the event, Marcy is married to her husband, Rick, and has two children, Dominick and Lexi. She is very active in the community and is, “the best hugger and always greets people with the salutation, ‘Hi Honey!’” She also, “lights up a room when she comes in and is the first to help others in need.”
If you cannot make the benefit, but would like to help Marcy and her family, there is a GoFund me Page set up at www.gofundme.com/f/marcy-fyock-cheeseman-benefit. Tioga State Bank is also accepting donations to an account set up there. More information on the benefit can be found on Facebook, just search for, “Marcy Fyock Cheeseman Benefit.”
