In 2016, my mom Debbie was first diagnosed with a form of breast cancer called invasive lobular carcinoma. After a four-year remission, her cancer returned in 2022 and has recently gotten worse despite the use of traditionally utilized chemotherapy drugs. The effects of drugs like Kisqali can be incredibly harsh on the body, especially the heart, which has led my mom to seek new forms of treatment, specifically prescribed by an integrative oncologist who blends holistic methods of treatment with Western medicine as a way to treat aggressive diagnoses.

We’re fundraising to support this new integrative route because it’s a cost that would have to be entirely covered out of pocket, which would add to the financial stress of my mom’s existing medical bills. The treatment includes mistletoe therapy (via weekly injections; commonly used in Europe to treat cancer), high-dose vitamin C infusions, supplements, and cancer-fighting diet guidance, plus a monthly visit to a specialist.

For part of our lives, my mom raised me and my two older sisters on her own after our dad passed away unexpectedly in 2002. She continues to be a loving mother to us and a caring grandmother to her three young grandchildren—your support would mean so much to us all so my mom can get the type of treatment she feels is best for her.