The Thinking Moms’ Revolution is reeling. Our very own Melanie Baldwin, AKA Booty Kicker (B.K.), now suffers with spine and liver cancer after having beaten breast cancer and bone cancer.
Melanie is an amazing woman who has changed the face of the autism and cancer cultures by telling her story to thousands as “Booty Kicker” in the Thinking Moms’ Revolution’s book Autism Beyond the Spectrum. For anyone who knows Melanie through Facebook, two words come to mind. “Faithful” and “Godly.” For those of us at TMR who know her on a more intimate level we may use use the words hilarious, witty, kind, loving, patient, and steadfast. She is the voice of reason, and sometimes opposition, but always with a clear focus in mind. She makes us all better people.
As Melanie struggles to overcome her current situation with cancer, her severely affected son Luke, still requires 24/7 care and attention as he is self-injurious and quite ill, suffering the lingering effects of severe autism. Please consider donating generously to help her family care for Luke as Melanie regains her health, and please help their family establish financial security that will help them thrive during her absence.
Please visit the GiveForward site set up for the Baldwin family here.
If you have not, you must read the blogs written by Melanie, our B. K. Her Autism and the Church series found here, here and here is truly exceptional. She is touching so many lives. Read. You won’t be disappointed.
~The Thinking Moms’ Revolution
WOW! I am up late! Frantically, scouring the net…in search of financial help for a rapidly declining crisis. Suddenly,, I come upon a mention of cancer and autism under one roof, and tears rolled! Hot streams flowed down my cheeks and I suddenly didn’t feel so alone! I am going to be 49 on Tuesday. I have a three year old son, Jacob who is recently diagnosed with Autism. Two months before that, I was diagnosed with more than a half a dozen herniated discs in my neck and back. A week after his diagnosis, I was diagnosed with Emphysatamous Bleb Disorder (AKA: COPD) and three days later, breast cancer. I have been repeatedly dropped from Medicaid. I cannot work. I could not finish one month of final courses in college to obtain my Associates Degree as an MA, I have lost everything, and now face losing my home and utilities too. I have no family willing or able to help. So, with Jacob depending on me 24/7 I have been unable to get my surgery (I opted for a double mastectomy, for the pure sake of prevention, as my cancer was found stage zero DCIS). It has been 7 months, and I am told, all signs point to the spread. I think the Lord has other plans for me. Though, I believe that even facing the demonic cancer and standing strong against all for the benefit of my miracle son, are surely in His plans for me. I believe He plans on having me triumphantly declare I AM A SURVIVOR, yet I admit that in this moment, I am worn, weak, and hold my hope that Jacob and I will be cradled in His caring hands. Will relief come soon? I ask myself now through tears. In this moment, I can say…that the current relief, was in finding your site…the mention of B.K. and the fact that suddenly…I don’t feel so islolated or alone.