A Single Mom’s Breast Cancer Fund
Donation protected
Please join me in raising funds for a dear friend as she courageously fights breast cancer!
Recently my friend, Farokh (aka Rokhy) Emami was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer at the age of 45. She was fortunate to find the tumor early herself and despite her doctor’s repeated assurances and even a negative mammogram, she insisted on an MRI which her insurance would not and did not cover. Thank goodness for her persistence! You see, this wasn’t the first time cancer had knocked on her door. Her only child, a daughter now a teenager, was diagnosed with retinoblastoma (a rare cancer of the eye) at the age of one. At that time, she and her daughter moved to the US and started cancer treatment at CHLA. With generous help and support from her brother, she spent months at her toddler daughter’s bedside at the hospital. Countless follow up visits, treatments, scans, ER visits, and multiple hospitalizations ensued in the next couple of years. Although, her little girl recovered, the doctors told mom that with childhood cancer, there was an increased chance of recurrence within 10 years.
Dreadfully, at the age of 11, the cancer was back, this time in the form of leukemia. At that time, there was no immediate family left to help and support them. Both my friend’s parents were deceased and both siblings living were in other parts of the world. Nevertheless, this strong and extraordinary mother and daughter duo persisted as they embarked on yet another grueling round of chemotherapy treatments, prolonged hospitalizations at CHOC, countless tests, and at times devastating medical set backs until the cancer thankfully went into remission.
Life continued and this mother and daughter thrived as years passed. Not too long ago, my friend posted on Facebook that her daughter had just passed her 5-year cancer free mark. A sigh of relief as this time, it had appeared that the cancer was not coming back. Little did anyone know that as the duo were preparing for high school graduation and prom, cancer was coming back into their lives for a third time, but this time for a different target - the Mom. Since this devastating diagnosis in February of this year, this amazing mother and daughter have stood strong fighting this disease with minimal help from family and friends. Chemotherapy treatments are scheduled for every other Thursday. I don’t know how, but somehow this strong woman has been undergoing her chemo treatments every other Thursday while incredibly resuming her job on the following Monday after each treatment. However, after the 3rd chemo, of the total 8 treatments, her body grew weaker and it become more difficult to gain back her energy and recuperate. After the 4th treatment recently, she developed sores on the bottom of her feet that make it painful for her to walk and drive. Needless to say, she has had to stop working until she completes the remaining 4 treatments and the recommended two months of radiation that must ensue.
Meanwhile, the bills are piling up and the financial resources are almost depleted. The primary focus of anybody fighting any debilitating disease, such as cancer and alike, should be recovery and healing, but that’s difficult to do when you are burdened financially. Prayers and positive energy go along way, but reality is that she needs financial assistance as she hopefully beats the cancer and gets back on her feet, both literally and figuratively.
My friend is a typical strong, prideful and resilient woman and a single mom who is used to handling all that lives throws at her on her own. This time though, it’s different and although she has somehow managed thus far, I would like to lessen her burden just a little by raising enough funds to cover at least four months of her and her daughter’s living expenses until such time that the treatments are over and she can return to work.
The goal is to raise $10,000 by end of June for her remaining 4 months of treatment and recovery. Please know that every little bit helps. Please open your hearts and your pocketbooks to donate whatever amount you can spare and donate Anonymously if you’re more comfortable. For those of you who know me well, you know that I don’t hesitate to help those in need when I can. This time though, I need you to help another fellow single mother as she fights this awful disease for the third time.
Thank you for taking the time to read my campaign and for your kind & thoughtful donations.
Arshia Mardasi
Recently my friend, Farokh (aka Rokhy) Emami was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer at the age of 45. She was fortunate to find the tumor early herself and despite her doctor’s repeated assurances and even a negative mammogram, she insisted on an MRI which her insurance would not and did not cover. Thank goodness for her persistence! You see, this wasn’t the first time cancer had knocked on her door. Her only child, a daughter now a teenager, was diagnosed with retinoblastoma (a rare cancer of the eye) at the age of one. At that time, she and her daughter moved to the US and started cancer treatment at CHLA. With generous help and support from her brother, she spent months at her toddler daughter’s bedside at the hospital. Countless follow up visits, treatments, scans, ER visits, and multiple hospitalizations ensued in the next couple of years. Although, her little girl recovered, the doctors told mom that with childhood cancer, there was an increased chance of recurrence within 10 years.
Dreadfully, at the age of 11, the cancer was back, this time in the form of leukemia. At that time, there was no immediate family left to help and support them. Both my friend’s parents were deceased and both siblings living were in other parts of the world. Nevertheless, this strong and extraordinary mother and daughter duo persisted as they embarked on yet another grueling round of chemotherapy treatments, prolonged hospitalizations at CHOC, countless tests, and at times devastating medical set backs until the cancer thankfully went into remission.
Life continued and this mother and daughter thrived as years passed. Not too long ago, my friend posted on Facebook that her daughter had just passed her 5-year cancer free mark. A sigh of relief as this time, it had appeared that the cancer was not coming back. Little did anyone know that as the duo were preparing for high school graduation and prom, cancer was coming back into their lives for a third time, but this time for a different target - the Mom. Since this devastating diagnosis in February of this year, this amazing mother and daughter have stood strong fighting this disease with minimal help from family and friends. Chemotherapy treatments are scheduled for every other Thursday. I don’t know how, but somehow this strong woman has been undergoing her chemo treatments every other Thursday while incredibly resuming her job on the following Monday after each treatment. However, after the 3rd chemo, of the total 8 treatments, her body grew weaker and it become more difficult to gain back her energy and recuperate. After the 4th treatment recently, she developed sores on the bottom of her feet that make it painful for her to walk and drive. Needless to say, she has had to stop working until she completes the remaining 4 treatments and the recommended two months of radiation that must ensue.
Meanwhile, the bills are piling up and the financial resources are almost depleted. The primary focus of anybody fighting any debilitating disease, such as cancer and alike, should be recovery and healing, but that’s difficult to do when you are burdened financially. Prayers and positive energy go along way, but reality is that she needs financial assistance as she hopefully beats the cancer and gets back on her feet, both literally and figuratively.
My friend is a typical strong, prideful and resilient woman and a single mom who is used to handling all that lives throws at her on her own. This time though, it’s different and although she has somehow managed thus far, I would like to lessen her burden just a little by raising enough funds to cover at least four months of her and her daughter’s living expenses until such time that the treatments are over and she can return to work.
The goal is to raise $10,000 by end of June for her remaining 4 months of treatment and recovery. Please know that every little bit helps. Please open your hearts and your pocketbooks to donate whatever amount you can spare and donate Anonymously if you’re more comfortable. For those of you who know me well, you know that I don’t hesitate to help those in need when I can. This time though, I need you to help another fellow single mother as she fights this awful disease for the third time.
Thank you for taking the time to read my campaign and for your kind & thoughtful donations.
Arshia Mardasi
Organizer and beneficiary
Arshia Mardasi
Organizer
Aliso Viejo, CA
Farokh Emami
Beneficiary
