Please join us for this ride and come together to support Heather during her time of need. Kickstands up at 12:30pm, hope to see you all there. Below you will see more information about Heather's journey.
Heather Strong
“Cancer picked the wrong warrior.”
Heather Canter Samudio has been a fighter her whole life — not just against illness, but in everything she does. She’s been a hard worker since the age of 16, dedicating herself to every role she’s taken on. She worked in the newspaper business for almost 20 years. Later, she devoted 10 years of care and service doing healthcare promotions for Forest Ridge Assisted Living and Generations Ashe. Through all of these chapters, Heather has built a reputation for her strength, reliability, and compassion.
But while she was pouring herself into work and helping others, Heather was also privately facing her own health battles. For more than 20 years, she endured painful kidney stones that never seemed to let up. She faced them with toughness, determination, and her trademark sense of humor, never allowing them to fully hold her back.
In 2008, Heather faced an even greater challenge: cancer. With courage and grit, she fought through treatment and, for a time, came out on the other side. Her resilience was nothing short of inspiring, she refused to let cancer define her or steal her spirit.
But in March 2025, Heather’s world was shaken once again when she was diagnosed with metastatic Stage 4 small cell lung cancer that has since spread to her abdomen, spleen and adrenal glands. Despite the devastating news, Heather began chemotherapy immediately, determined to fight with everything she had.
Her journey since diagnosis has been filled with obstacles. Frequent hospital stays caused her to miss critical treatments, and complications began to pile up. After undergoing gallbladder surgery, Heather developed a severe infection that required a drain tube and months of recovery before it finally cleared.
After all of this, Heather’s oncology team made the difficult decision that further chemotherapy would be too dangerous for her body to handle. Now, she is receiving immunotherapy with the goal of comfort and maintaining her quality of life.
Through every battle, from kidney stones, to her first cancer fight in 2008, to her Stage 4 diagnosis in 2025, Heather has shown unwavering courage, strength, and resilience. She is a daughter, a sister, a friend, and a fighter who has never given up, even when the odds seemed impossible. She is living proof that even in the darkest storms, light, love, and hope can still shine through.
This illness has not only taken a physical toll, but also an emotional and financial one. Heather and her family are facing overwhelming challenges that no one can carry alone. This fundraiser will help provide much-needed support for: Medical expenses not covered by insurance; Daily care needs as her health has changed; and Support for her family, who have been by her side through every step of this journey
Every donation, no matter the size, makes a real difference. Your kindness will ease the heavy burden Heather and her loved ones are carrying and show her that she is not fighting this battle alone.
Heather is, and always has been, a warrior. Cancer may have changed the course of her life, but it has never taken away her spirit, her determination, or her heart. Please consider donating and sharing Heather’s story. Together, we can surround her with love, strength, and hope. With your support, Heather will know, now more than ever, that she is not alone in this fight.
Also check out other Nonprofit events in Greensboro, Health & Wellness events in Greensboro, Contests in Greensboro.
