Anna (Arlis) LaFontaine - Hopkin Mom. Grandma. Friend.

Welcome to our CaringBridge website for Anna. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support, believing, and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.

Anna's journey with breast cancer began in 2014, just before mother's day. Shortly thereafter, she learned the cancer was HER2+, very large, and had spread to nearby glands and lung. Stage IV, she was advised she did not have great odds. Thus began her long, complicated battle with cancer. She has had a masectomy and many courses of chemotherapy. At every appointment, Anna shared the Good News with nurses and staff as well as other patients. Often times, Anna could be found moving God's word at local bus stops and downtown areas as early as the day after treatment. And frequently her doctors would marvel at her miraculous response to treatment. 

Anna has worked in missions and ministry for 45 years, during which her motiviation to move God's word has sent her to live in 14 states and brought her as far as Kenya, Africa. More recently as this disease has progressed, Anna has worked more locally, with native american tribes and people with addiction. When not moving the word, Anna is helping or spending time with her three children (Kelly, Letitia and Jaired), nine grandchildren, and two great-grand children.

In November 2019, Anna learned the cancer had spread from her breast and lung to her brain.  Just before Christmas she underwent radiation as well as another round of chemotherapy. Unfortunately this time the treatment came with difficult side effects that brought her in and out of the hospital many times, and Anna became malnourished and frail. In early April, just after COVID-19 pandemic began to take the world by surprise, Anna suffered a major seizure which resulted in limiting her mobility and ability to communicate.

Due to social distancing measures relating to COVID-19, Anna had been in the hopsital and transitional care -- without family or friends present -- for over 45 days! During this time she contracted an infection in her bowel and became septic. It was touch and go for a few days. Praise God that she was able to beat the infection. She was unable, however, to regain the strength needed to fully recover or continue cancer treatment. 

Anna is now in hopsice care at home with her family. The cancer in her brain continues to progress, and as it does, the number of brain mets seizures increase. Anna has become bed bound. She is too weak to move, to eat or drink on her own, or to speak. But her faith is still strong and she still wants to keep fighting -- all the way to the end!

We invite you to share any memories or stories or pictures of Anna here on this CaringBridge site or on Anna's profile on Facebook. We will be sharing your memories and thoughts, your messages and prayers with her. God bless!