Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Perzan.
Hi Michelle, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In Feb 2014, my life changed and I was diagnosed with breast cancer. All of my family was in Canada, it was just me, my husband and 3 boys here in Texas and it was a life-changing call that I received telling me that the test came back positive. I made a choice to lean on my faith and not let cancer define me or be my identity. I chose to find strength in speaking positive affirmations, declaring God’s Word over my life and circumstances and showing my boys that you could choose JOY in your storm, whatever that is in life.
I ended up having a double mastectomy with reconstruction as they found more cancer and that led to several surgeries. With every surgery, I would have a 4-6 week recovery with no lifting, no driving, no cooking as I was not able to lift more than 5 lbs, which takes out most of your daily routine, without you even realizing. I needed help, and I could not do it alone. Many church friends brought food, and that was wonderful, however, my husband was my caregiver, took care of the 3 boys, did meals, cleaned, laundry, cut the grass, groceries, and everything in between. My boys learned at a young age to chip in as it was a family effort and cancer affects everyone in the family.
My husband Aaron and I remember thinking, there must be others in this battle that need help, where do they go? How do they find help? We had no family in the area, so it was quite different for us, but we knew we were not alone.
At first, I was led to write a book to share a part of my testimony as I felt if I could just encourage one person, it would be worth it. I wrote Strength in My Storm: Faith and breast cancer. I felt very alone going through cancer as there were not a lot of people in my area that had gone through it and it was all a learning process for me. I felt if I could share how I felt and be real, that it might show others they are not alone and that it’s okay to ask for help and to receive from others. That book came out in October 2016.
Then, when we prayed, we were led to start a nonprofit to help those in the battle of cancer, and that birthed the GEST Foundation Inc. which provides emotional, spiritual and financial support to those in the battle of cancer. We named it after my family that I lost to cancer. G for my mom Gemma, E for my dad Elmer and my Baba Elsie, S for my oldest brother Steven and T was their last name Trakalo.
We partnered with many businesses and people in the Katy area at the time where we were living and we raised money and did fundraisers to start preparing. We knew we wanted to be different. Since I lost so many family members to cancer that were all different types, we wanted to be able to help people in the battle of any type of cancer. What we do is provide monetary grants to people that apply, up to $500 that they can use for whatever they need, parking, tolls, house cleaning, grass cutting, bills, etc. I know I could have used it the people that receive the grants say how much it means to them, and I know we are making a difference.
We started issuing grants in October 2018 and since then we have given out over $60,000 to people! The amounts range each month based on what we have brought in for donations and people partnering with us. Some months recipients receive $111 and some months, they may receive $444, it varies based on the month and the funds available. We do not keep anything for the foundation other than the bare needs, so we give out over 93% of what we bring in.
Not only do we issue monetary grants, but we reach out to each person who applies to see how we can best serve them and also offer to minister to them through prayer and we have ordained ministers that volunteer their time to do that. We want them to know that we are not only sending them a grant, but that we will be praying for them. We also share that I (Michelle) the founder is now cancer free and sharing that with them gives them encouragement and hope, and increased faith, which is needed when you are facing this kind of battle.
We have monthly grant needs that come in and social workers at hospitals are now even referring patients to us and we are in need of people to partner with us either with a one-time donation, or a monthly donation to help us continue to help those battling cancer. To date, everyone that has put in an application has received a grant and we want to keep that going. We believe that God will always provide all that we need so that we can best serve others. We are a 501c3 organization so all the donations can be used on your tax return as well.
In 2020 I felt the need to author another book called 8 Steps to Strength: when facing a cancer diagnosis as it lays out what I would talk about at different events and since then I have used it for bible studies and to mentor and disciple others. I feel people need hope more than ever right now and if we all just do a little bit, we will make a huge impact.
My husband and I have felt there is such a need to continue to reach people and help them so much that we have started Perzan Ministries to equip and teach and minister to people and my heart has really become to encourage, speak and restore hope to those facing a storm.
I have also started a platform on Youtube called Strength in Your Storm, where I interview all different people and ask them how they found strength in their storm. I have talked with people with storms like: addiction, loss, caregiving, abuse, cancer and many more. People need to see that no matter what you face, you are not alone, you are not the only one and whatever it is, you can find strength when you lean on your faith.
We share our resources with grant applicants and I’ve even had people donate up to 50 books so that when someone reaches out, that I have been able to just gift them a book because of the generosity of others. There are so many people that have been affected by cancer or know someone and wherever you feel lead to help, do it, you are impacting the world!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road, however, I have made sure I focus on speaking LIFE when I open my mouth as when you are in a battle of cancer, you need to keep your circle around you that will speak life over you, encourage you and lift you up.
It’s difficult that some people are not able to watch you go through cancer. Many people just disappeared from my life and I had to realize it wasn’t me. For some people, it’s hard to watch, or they lost someone before from cancer and they don’t want it to happen again or they just don’t know what to say or don’t want to say the wrong thing. I had to learn to just bless them and let them walk away and know that it’s not my responsibility to comfort them while I was in my own battle daily.
People also spoke negatively over me, without realizing it and I had to not agree with them or try to correct them or show them the other side with love. Some would tell stories about how their relative had the same thing and died or had the same thing and infections happened, etc. They would say, oh, I know a person and they were never the same, they couldn’t do this or that. Those “stories” were not helpful or encouraging and I knew the people meant well, they were just trying to share that they knew someone that had battled cancer and were trying to find commonality with me. I saw their hearts, but their words spoke death and sometimes it was really hard to try and let them know that I didn’t want to hear it and I could not hear it. I was trying to keep my head clear since all of my family that had cancer all passed away. I had to speak life over my situation and circumstance so that I was filled with good thoughts.
I also did not realize the struggle of after surgeries, how it would affect me, having to regain my strength, my range of motion, my new body and what I saw when I looked in the mirror. Hearing cancer was a very traumatic event and I had to make sure it did not become a trauma in my life. I had to work at seeing the positive and sometimes that meant that every hour I would say, “I can do this. God will give me strength” “I will watch my boys grow up, graduate, get married and have kids” “I will be cancer free and no disease or sickness will touch me or my family again” “I will live and not die and declare the works of the Lord” and I declared these and more over and over again and posted them all over my bathroom mirror.
I had to declare LIFE over my body, my spirit and my soul daily and some days I had to do it every hour as the pain and discomfort were a lot to handle.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
After battling cancer in 2014 and now being cancer free, my mission is to encourage, speak and restore hope to those in a battle and I do that with the GEST Foundation Inc. and with Perzan Ministries and my marketplace ministry on MichellePerzan.com.
There are a few things I do, however, they are all tied together as they all work together for God’s good. With the GEST Foundation Inc., we are helping those in the current battle of cancer and our goal is to make a difference so that they know they are not alone. GESTfoundation.org
With Perzan Ministries, we are equipping and ministering to people and we have weekly meetings called “Fire Talks” and we also do nights of worship. They are a wonderful time of people coming from all different areas and churches and we get the honour of ministering to them and pouring into them and we also go out to other places and minister there, bringing the hope of the Lord. I believe this is where my books and Youtube videos tie in so that I can help be a light to those facing any kind of storm. PerzanMinistries.org
Since 2017 I have been working for myself as a Life & Retirement Income agent, as I call it my marketplace ministry and this is where I talk with clients and help them with life needs, tax-free retirement accounts and help them protect and preserve their current retirement and I get to use this platform to minister to people as well and there have been many clients that I have been able to speak about the GEST Foundation Inc and help them or a family member. I share a part of my testimony with many of my clients and I believe it has helped many of them.
I believe I am known to be a person that will pray for you and minister healing. Whether I am on a zoom call with a client, at a fundraiser, at church, at a grocery store or football game, if you say you are in need of prayer, we will do it right there and if you are lacking any faith to believe, you can lean on mine as I have seen God work miracles in my life and others. Another minister and I have hosted a weekly prayer call for over 7 years and people know they can join in or text us and know that we are standing in the gap for them and praying for them. That makes me very proud and humble at the same time, that others know that I am there to best serve them so that they can walk in the fullness that God has for them. I want others to walk in their full healing and that is why I do the Strength in Your Storm videos, for others to have a platform to share a part of their testimony to encourage others. I enjoy pulling people up and encouraging them to walk in their purpose and destiny, because their testimony will help others.
We are called to make a difference wherever we are and wherever we go and if I can change the life of one person, then it is worth it. It really is all of us doing a small thing that makes a huge impact.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
We just moved to Cypress just over 2 years ago and I love it up here! We moved from Katy, which I enjoyed, however, there is just something about Cypress that I love!
Schools are amazing, everything is close, people are so friendly and welcoming! The availability of so many events, sports, Christian music and really any training you want is amazing.
Least – traffic here is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced growing up in Canada.
Contact Info:
- Website: GESTfoundation.org
- Instagram: @michelleperzan
- Other: MichellePerzan.com
