Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah & Chuck. Their team shares their story with us below:
Living Hope Cancer Foundation is a nonprofit cancer organization co-founded by Stage 4 cancer thrivers, Chuck & Hannah Keels. They coach the positive spiritual mindset on how to GET UP AND LIVE with cancer, something that is missing in the cancer industry. Mindset changes everything! They are published authors and inspirational speakers sharing their miraculous healing stories to inspire Hope and healing. The WHOLE reason they got to a place where their mission was to “give back” began in 2016 when Chuck was diagnosed with end-stage cancer and given 3 months to live, and placed in hospice. The day that they were planning to get on a flight back to Ohio, so his parents could take care of his teenage sons, he suffered a broken back while walking down the hallway. An ambulance took him to the nearest hospital, John C. Lincoln, ran some tests and decided they would fight the cancer. After two surgeries, Chuck woke up in the Recovery Room and was assured that his surgeries went perfectly. A little while later, the room turned freezing cold for no apparent reason. As he looked around the room, he was startled to see a brown robe, white scarf, and beard! Jesus stepped towards him and reached out and touched his left shoulder. In an instant, He was gone! Soon after, when the nurses offered him pain medications, Chuck realized he had NO PAIN! After having been on liquid morphine for days before, the staff couldn’t believe it. Within 3 months at his next scans, his doctor greeted him with a huge smile to give him the news that his cancer was gone! It was a miracle!
Chuck began getting calls which led to him sharing his story, writing a book, and taking the role of “cancer coach” while continuing to work in landscape & pool design in the Valley.
4 years after his cancer diagnosis, he was introduced to Hannah, who was looking for help publishing her own book. She had a Stage 4 Breast Cancer diagnosis, 4 teenage sons, and a vibrant faith. Within weeks, Chuck & Hannah fell in love and just knew they had to get married and start a nonprofit. They married on New Year’s Day of 2020. A month later, they received their IRS letter notifying them that Living Hope Cancer Foundation was officially a 501c3. They began the hard work of setting up a website, social media, and planning speaking events to share their mission of helping anyone affected by cancer to navigate their journey with Hope instead of fear using the lessons they had learned.
This led to developing a Video Resource Library of short informative videos called the Cancer Roadmap Project. These free tools help coach the positive mindset and walk someone through the steps of their cancer journey. It covers their 5 pillars of Prayer, Love, Juicing, Essential Oils, & Movement which help engage the mind’s healing mechanism.
Their motto “Get up and live!” is available on apparel, mugs, and is the title of their latest book which they co-wrote in 2021. All proceeds 100% fund the nonprofit’s mission to offer free coaching to anyone who needs it.
Their goal is to open a Cancer Retreat Center, train & certify other cancer coaches, and continue to grow their coaching materials to help as many people as they can.
They travel around the country as Inspirational Speakers and share their stories of Hope and courage through living & thriving with a Stage 4 cancer diagnosis.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Since their marriage on January 1, 2020, Hannah’s breast cancer spread to several areas. The first incidence occurred just 5 months after the wedding, when are neck fractured due to an invading tumor in her spine. She found out the cancer had mutated to Triple Negative, an aggressive & difficult to treat form of breast cancer. After having a neck fusion, she went through radiation and 10 rounds of IV chemo. When it came time to shave off her long beautiful curly hair, Chuck got on the chair and handed her the clippers in a loving act of solidarity. Through tears, they shaved each other’s heads. Moment after hard moment throughout that first year, he would remind Hannah that the “Honeymoon was never over.” By September 2020, they were practically living out their life motto of GET UP AND LIVE taking every opportunity given them to LIVE life, one day at a time. So, when the chances to jet ski, and kayak, and zip-line presented themselves, they WENT and made beautiful and fun memories. Over the Winter of 2021, Hannah began to experience lower back pain. Returning home from their Inspirational Tour in 3 states, she discovered that her chemo had failed and she had several fractures in her lower spine. One of them was so severe she became unable to sit, stand, or walk! She was shuttled to the hospital via ambulance for emergency surgery and woke up unexpectedly in the ICU after a 7-hour lumbar fusion surgery. Fitted with a back brace, she went home to recover. They discovered just a few weeks later that due to an instability of her leg bone, she would need another surgery that would drive a titanium rod into her femur. Or she would never walk again.
After this surgery, she was confined to a wheelchair for 4 months. With physical therapy and hard work & determination, she regained the strength and ability to walk.
There were many hard moments full of pain and frustration during these months for both Chuck and Hannah. Many unanswered questions and “what if’s” made it a confusing time as they maneuvered these months. The only way through was the rely on their faith in God who promised to be with them in the valleys too. Thousands of people were praying for them as they shared their journey and story on social media. Living transparently on a platform usually reserved for “filters” and “happy moments” of peoples’ lives became a place where others could be inspired by the faith and true smiles despite their suffering.
There was a purpose for Chuck & Hannah’s pain as they shared how they could GET UP AND LIVE during life’s challenges.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Chuck & Hannah began this nonprofit cancer organization to help others affected by cancer. They noticed that the doctor would give a patient a “medical plan” and send the patient home. On the drive home, they begin to feel lost and confused. They experienced this themselves through their own personal diagnoses with cancer. They help a cancer patient develop a “personal plan” that doesn’t change. This is where the 5 pillars come in.
1. Prayer: cancer is way bigger than us. Chuck & Hannah each found that they had to give all their worries to God, constantly. It brought them peace and joy.
2. Love: surrounding yourself with community; family, friends, church, loved ones. The love from people through a meal and a hug is part of healing.
3. Juicing: raw juice provides raw fuel straight to the mitochondria in the cells of the body. Even if a cancer patient doesn’t change their entire diet, adding in raw fuel and incredible nutrients helps heal the body and make them feel more energetic.
4. Essential oils: Applying & diffusing Frankincense and several other oils helps the immune system. 5. Moving the body: whether it’s taking the dog for a walk, getting on a bike, or doing breathing exercises on the floor, movement engages healing in the body.
Chuck & Hannah live out these principles and literally practice what they “preach.” It’s a way of life for them which results in a vibrant faith and vibrant body DESPITE all of the obstacles they have each faced.
The uniqueness of their nonprofit is that they haven’t found another of its kind offering free spiritual mindset coaching.
What makes you happy?
Chuck & Hannah thrive on spending time outside, traveling, and helping others. Although Hannah can’t hike at the moment, as she continues to heal from her spinal fractures and surgeries, she CAN hop on her electric bike, or in their tandem kayak, swim around in the pool, and go for short walks with their dog Jax. They have found ways to stay active that is super fun despite some physical limitations and challenges.
They continue to travel both locally and nationally around Hannah’s chemo treatments. Seeing new places, meeting new friends, and visiting old friends & family gives them great joy. They are especially thankful that they can combine trips on the Inspirational Tour with seeing family.
Chuck & Hannah love helping anyone affected by cancer find their smiles again. It has become such satisfying and rewarding work to help them dream again and have “permission to live” after receiving a cancer diagnosis.
Contact Info:
- Email: Chuck@getupandlive.org
- Website: www.GetUpAndLive.org
- Instagram: livinghopecancerfoundation
- Facebook: Lhcancerfoundation
- Youtube: Living Hope Cancer Foundation
- Other: TikTok @chuckkeels
Image Credits
Hannah & Chuck Keels
