Hi friends and community!

We’re a group of Mandy Corrado’s loved ones and chosen family, coming together to help carry her through the last (and often hardest) part of the cancer journey: Recovery.

Mandy is an artist, a mother, and a caregiver who’s been rebuilding after breast cancer treatment. She has always been the kind of person who shows up for her community. Now it’s our turn to show up for her.

In February 2025, Mandy was diagnosed with breast cancer. The months that followed were intense: chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, and the long work of healing afterward. While we’re deeply grateful she made it through treatment, cancer still took a heavy toll—physically, emotionally, and financially. Recovery doesn’t end when treatment ends, and the costs don’t magically disappear either.

There’s another piece of this that’s hard to say, but important:

Mandy is currently unemployed, largely because of cancer. Mandy was working as a contractor, and like many contractors, staying employed depends on consistent networking, professional development, and being available for new opportunities. She planned to spend 2025 building those relationships and momentum, so she wouldn’t face a gap in work. Instead, she was in treatment and recovery.

Cancer didn’t just interrupt her health; it interrupted her income and her ability to line up what came next.

That financial stress is also counter to recovery. Healing takes time, rest, and stability—and unemployment adds pressure at exactly the moment someone is trying to rebuild strength. Your support helps create breathing room so Mandy can focus on recovering, not just surviving month to month.

Recovery is also still ongoing. Mandy is currently in physical therapy and will need follow-up scans, testing, and doctor’s appointments this year. And because insurance deductibles reset on January 1, she’s facing a brand-new cycle of out-of-pocket medical costs, which are already stacking up quickly.

That’s why we’re raising funds now: so Mandy can cover recovery-related expenses and stabilize while she gets back on her feet.

We do want to pause here to say thank you to everyone who donated to Mandy’s previous GoFundMe during treatment. Your generosity helped get her through chemo, surgery, and the hardest months of the year, and we truly don’t forget that. This fundraiser is a new chapter: recovery, follow-up care, and rebuilding after cancer-related unemployment. If you’re able to give again, we’re deeply grateful. And if you can’t right now, please know that your past support mattered immensely—and sharing this page is also a huge help.

THE FUNDRAISER (in person + online):

The Neo-Futurists are hosting “45 & Still Alive”—a birthday party fundraiser the week of Mandy’s birthday to celebrate that she is 45 and STILL ALIVE and to raise money for her cancer recovery fund.

50% of ticket sales and 100% of the silent auction proceeds will go directly to Mandy

IN PERSON EVENT:

Sunday, February 15, 2026

5:00pm

Show starts at 7:00!

The Neo-Futurists Theater, Andersonville - Chicago

Ticket Price: $20

18+ recommended

Go to 45andStillAlive.com for more info

But we’re not relying on the in-person night alone!

WHY WE'RE FUNDRAISING ONLINE TOO:

Not everyone can attend... and even with a full room, ticket sales have limits. This GoFundMe is how our wider community can help us reach a larger goal online, so Mandy has real support while she continues healing and works to rebuild after treatment-related unemployment.

If Mandy has ever made you laugh, think, feel seen, feel inspired, or if you simply believe that people shouldn’t have to face medical recovery costs alone, we’d love your help.

WHERE YOUR DONATION GOES:

Funds raised here will go directly to Mandy’s cancer recovery fund to help cover the ongoing expenses that can stack up fast, including:

Every donation, no matter the size, helps reduce the financial strain and gives Mandy more room to focus on healing.

How you can help (even if you can’t donate):

Thank you for helping us celebrate that Mandy is 45 and STILL ALIVE, and for helping make the next chapter of her recovery a little lighter.

With love and gratitude,

Team Mandy / The 45 & Still Alive Crew