Pray for Jacqueline Mathis - moved to hospice (Updated 8/22/25)

Prayers are requested for Jacqueline Mathis, mother of Basilica parishioner Anthony Mathis. Since being diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer in 2024, she began chemotherapy. Doctors were hopeful that she would have a year to live. Thank you for your prayers for Jacqueline and the family.
 

UPDATES

Read the updates from Jacqueline's family below. The latest information is at the top:

UPDATE 8/22/25: Jacqueline has decided to stop aggressive treatments due to the harshness of the chemo and prognosis being the same with or without treatment at this point. She has entered hospice and plans to enjoy spending what time she has left with her family. We ask for prayers from the Parish, for the family as they deal with this new phase of her life and prayers especially for her as she transitions to the next phase of her life.

UPDATE 6/25/24: Jacqueline was in the emergency room Sunday because her blood pressure dropped to dangerously low levels, and the pleural fluid that we had hoped was not going to re-accumulate again, has begun to start up again. The doctors do not want to do another thoracentesis to remove the fluid because of various risk factors, and would rather place an in dwelling drain. We ask for more prayers.

UPDATE 5/29/24: Jacqueline had her second pet scan yesterday and met with oncology. A lot of her bone lesions are gone and the others have shrunk. The fluid accumulation around her lungs has slowed significantly. She does have a hip fracture from one of the lesions, but it should heal up on its own. Overall really good news. Please continue to Pray!

UPDATE 4/10/24: Jacqueline has had her first round of chemo and hasn't had any major side effects in the few weeks that have passed. She also had another thoracentesis to drain fluid off of her lungs. The fluid has since started to return, but it seems it's returning at a slower rate. So the hope is the chemo is starting to work. Otherwise we will have to have an indwelling drain placed to keep the fluid off of her lungs.

UPDATE 3/24/24:  Jacqueline's son Anthony has had to take off work in order to take care of Jacqueline. Some friends have set up a GoFundMe to help them cover their living expenses. 

GoFundMe for the Mathis Family

UPDATE 3/20/24: From Jacqueline's son Anthony: We met with oncology today. The cancer has spread to her pelvic bone and back of her neck. She starts chemo next week. Only our Lord knows when her time will come but the doctor thinks if she responds well to chemo she could have a year or more left to spend with her family. Without chemo she would probably have 3-6 months left. Please continue to pray!

UPDATE 3/14/24: Stage 4 lung cancer has been confirmed, and Jacqueline is now receiving palliative care. Thank you for your prayers for Jacqueline.

UPDATE 3/15/24: The latest update is that she's home as of yesterday evening. She will be doing outpatient chemo for palliative purposes only to try to keep the cancer from spreading. But they're still waiting on tests before all of this can proceed.

UPDATE 3/13/24:  Prayers are requested for Jacqueline Mathis, mother of Basilica parishioner Anthony Mathis. She had lung cancer, and is now having respiratory complications associated with a procedure that was done, so she was admitted to the hospital.