Ringgold Primary School paraprofessional Regina Stooksbury is battling cancer.More Info
Learn moreTo keep up-to-date with Regina Stooksbury’s condition, find out about other events in her honor, find “Team Stooksbury” on Facebook. To donate to her GoFundMe, search “Stooksbury” on gofundme.com.
Ringgold Primary School is hosting an indoor yard sale Saturday, June 4 to raise money for RPS paraprofessional Regina Stooksbury, who is battling Stage 2 lymphoma.
The rain-or-shine event will run 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the school gymnasium.
“From May 2 to May 24 her cancer has gotten twice as big,” said RPS paraprofessional Shawn Stanley. “It’s an aggressive cancer and they have to do an aggressive chemotherapy. It has a high cure rate if it’s caught in time. She just started chemotherapy today.”
Stanley said the school will take whatever people want to donate to the sale.
“We’ve had an abundance of employees bringing stuff,” she said. “We will take anything except used mattresses. We will take toys, household items, furniture and lamps.”
Stooksbury has worked at RPS since 2005. A Facebook page titled “Team Stooksbury” keeps people informed of her current condition.
RPS raised $1,510 at a recent bake sale for Team Stooksbury to help her with medical bills.
“This is her first cancer battle,” said Stanley. “She is a sweetheart. People should come out to help her with her medical expenses. She’s a legacy at Ringgold Primary School. She’s so loving and care-free and the kids love her. She decorates doors after school and really goes above and beyond. She has a GoFundMe page titled ‘Stooksbury’s Medical Expenses.'”
How Stooksbury’s Battle Began
Stooksbury said she had pain off and on in the left part of her chest and in her back, but she didn’t think anything of it.
“The last week of April the pain was consistent, including left shoulder, arm and jaw,” she said. “It affected sleeping. Finally, I went to the ER on May 2 after a nurse and counselor friends urged me to go check my heart. I had a wonderful doctor at Parkridge East that was very thorough. My heart was great, but the X-ray and CT scan revealed the rather large mass behind the sternum on the thymus gland. I was referred to a surgeon for a biopsy. He said it looked to be a thymoma on the scan, which would be surgically removed, but needed a biopsy to rule out lymphoma or other cancer. Monday, May 16, results showed it was primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin’s.”
According to Stooksbury, there are 60 types of lymphoma and her type is rare – and aggressive.
“I started an aggressive chemo regimen today and feel confident my amazing oncologist, Dr. Womack with Tennessee Oncology, will guide me to being cured soon,” Stooksbury said. “My strength and positive thinking absolutely is a direct result of an amazing outpouring of love and support from this wonderful community. There are no words to accurately describe my gratitude for all the support and boost of morale that comes through the love shown from Ringgold Primary School. They keep me laughing as well, and that’s what I love.”
Stooksbury said she is especially grateful to Stanley, who is helping organize the upcoming sale for Stooksbury. She said Stanley takes quick action to help not only colleagues hit with unfortunate times, but parents and children as well.
“Shawn is phenomenal to line up a plan to help others,” Stooksbury said. “I’m looking forward to the day I can pay it forward. My family’s love and encouragement is also a factor for my well-being. I get my strength from my mom, no doubt. I love my life as a mom of four, fiancee of superman, parapro of amazing K-2 Catoosa kids and helping to support an awesome staff. I plan to be around alive and well for many more decades. God is so good.”