The Jebson family's journey through medical hardship that inspired Charted Way's mission
Our family discovered Lake Gaston in 2009. We were in the throes of raising our three young sons and living very full lives. An escape to the lake that summer was just what our family needed. We needed to slow down and reconnect as a family and the lake provided a place for us to do just that. We quickly fell in love with Lake Gaston and it became our family's summer vacation spot.
In 2014, Andrew, our youngest son, was diagnosed with leukemia. He spent the next 40 months in active chemotherapy treatment. His doctors advised him not to swim in lake water due to his low immune system and risk of infection. He kept asking all throughout treatment, "When I'm all done, can we go back to Lake Gaston?"
Andrew finished treatment in 2018. Our family returned to Lake Gaston that summer. We were beyond ready to rest, recover, and revive together at the lake. It felt like such a victory to be able to return. Wouldn't you know it, the first time Andrew and his two older brothers hopped in the float to be pulled behind the boat we all looked up to a giant rainbow. We could not contain our joy!
The rainbow that greeted us on our triumphant return to Lake Gaston
Our family also understands the pain of loss. Amy's mother passed from cancer in 2020. She was diagnosed with her first cancer shortly after Andrew. It's our hope that a place of solitude will give bereaved families space to rest.
We know how hard journeying as a family through medical hardship can be and the toll it takes on each family member. Our ambition with Charted Way is that we can help provide families who have experienced life-threatening medical hardships the ability to rest, recover, and revive.
"All praises belong to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he is the Father of tender mercy and the God of endless comfort. He always comes alongside us to comfort us in every suffering so that we can come alongside those who are in any painful trial. We can bring them this same comfort that God has poured out upon us."
~2 Corinthians 1:3-4
