ABOUT.
The Allen Nicole foundation is the brain child of William “Billy” and the late Joi Nicole Powell.
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After both having been diagnosed with different forms of cancer at the same time, William, a rare an aggressive lymphoma and Joi with stage four colon/liver cancer, and though they were strong, there still was a void as these conditions eventually take a toll on your mind as well as your body. After Joi’s diagnosis in February of 2021, she would receive six rounds of chemotherapy, and then would undergo a highly invasive 10 hour colon and Liver surgery. Which was initially believed to be highly successful. At this point support began to pour from all directions, Our families were heavily involved and supportive, we received money, DoorDash’s and Uber eats, and all sorts of random Acts of kindness, people cooked for us, even to the magnitude of Joi’s sister, flying in from North Carolina to cook and freeze several meals for the family that would only need reheating . Many people stepped in to our family by taking up time with the children, assisting with running errands. Our church was highly supportive in this season with financial gifts, prayers, and visits.
Then in December 2021, while simultaneously dealing with the transition of our father/father-in-love we found out that Joi’s cancer had returned, and by the end of January she was back in treatment and the fight continued. As if we weren’t already on an emotional roller coaster Billy and Joi both contacted COVID-19 and ended up being separated in different parts of the home for weeks. This one’s, especially troubling in light of the fact that The children still need it looking after. Making it over that hurdle and someways prepared them for what would be next. In late February, billy started to feel funny, and a lump appeared on his neck then disappeared, initially being told that it was an “ingrown hair” on his neck And was given antibiotics and sent home. But on February 27, 2022 after preaching Billy’s mother told him he needed to go to the hospital, we are after going through several days of testing they came back with a devastating diagnosis of lymphoma, Acute Tlymphoblastic lymphoma, which is an extremely rare and mobile form of lymphoma.
This caused Billy to be hospitalized for the next nine months, undergoing rigorous treatment, being separated from his family, all the while being as supportive and encouraging as he could, while his wife simultaneously continue her treatment regimen. It’s not unheard of to have two parents deal with a sickness such as cancer, but to go through it at the same time was deemed extremely rare and Ultimately put enormous pressure on their family dynamic. But with the prayers and support of their family, church family, and friends all over the country they made what could have been the Worst time of their life tolerable.
While Billy was still hospitalized he and Joi begin to think about all of the people who don’t have the support system that they had, and how many people give up in light of having to deal with life altering medical issues without a proper support system around them. So from the hospital bed, the Allen Nicole foundation this formed and established in November of 2022.
As Billy began to heal and recover, unfortunately Joi’s condition, worsened, and was compelled to enter clinical trial at Yale which again initially yielded positive results, but then plateaued in March 2023. The family began making arrangements for another form of treatment unfortunately Joi’s condition declined, and sadly she passed away on May 15, 2023.
In light of her, passing Billy is continuing the work they started together and keeping the legacy of healing alive that was spoken over Joi’s life many times from her childhood to her adult years. The Allen, Nicole foundation desires to Aid in the healing process of those whose life has been affected by different medical conditions. If your condition has altered your way of life, prevented you from being able to work, care for your children, care for yourself, the Allen Nicole foundation will hopefully play a small role in helping people everywhere in whatever capacity possible.