I’m reaching out today because my family and I could really use a helping hand for my incredible mom, Stella.

If you know my mom, you know she is kind-hearted, a lover of nature, and just has the sweetest heart. She is completely devoted to her family and her six grandkids who love her so much. She always says, “I was always meant to be a mom, and now I am blessed to be a grandmother.” She has always been our rock, and even when she’s hurting or feeling really sick, she never shows it—she just keeps focusing all her love on everyone else.

Six years ago, my mom found out she had colon cancer, and it had already metastasized to her lung. She has been doing chemotherapy for six long, exhausting years. That chemo has been a blessing because it gave her more time with us—her cancer has actually improved and stayed stable, though she still has a small tumor left. She fights so hard every single day to have more time with us, and she always tells us, “I have more in me.”

But unfortunately, that same chemo that has given her extra time has also taken a massive toll on her body.

Now, even though the cancer is stable, she is dealing with liver cirrhosis caused by the treatments, and it’s a whole new battle. Because of the cirrhosis, fluid builds up severely in her belly (ascites), and she has had to get it painfully drained every single week through a procedure called a paracentesis. But recently, the fluid started traveling up into her lung. She ended up in the hospital with a collapsed lung from it and needed an emergency thorax drainage to remove the fluid.

Right now, we are waiting to get a special drainage tube (a catheter) put into her belly. This will let us drain the fluid safely at home, give her a much better quality of life, and most importantly, prevent that fluid from going back into her lung and collapsing it again.

But on top of all this health stress, we were hit with a devastating surprise. Just yesterday, we found out her health insurance was suddenly canceled due to a paperwork issue. It was something we never expected—going from one day having everything approved and ready to go, to the next day having everything put on pause. It is heartbreaking to deal with this bureaucracy while my mom sits in a hospital bed, with her lung filling up with fluid as the minutes pass by.

Because we cannot wait around while her health is on the line, we have agreed to pay completely out of pocket for the vital in-home health care she needs after discharge. By promising to pay for this home care ourselves, the hospital is willing to move forward with the catheter procedure so she can finally get some comfort for the rest of the time she has left with us.

But this means we are about to be hit with an overwhelming mountain of financial debt. We will be responsible for all the bills from this hospital stay, the emergency lung procedures, the extensive testing, and the upfront costs of her daily home care.

Honestly, the costs are just too much for us to handle alone. We are working around the clock to get the insurance issue resolved, but medical needs don't stop for paperwork.

Right now, my only priority is her quality of life. My mom has fought so hard for six years, and she deserves to be comfortable, safe, and not suffering anymore. If you are able to donate even a little bit, it will go straight toward her daily home care and the incoming hospital bills. And if you can’t donate, just sharing this link with your friends and family means the world to us.

Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts for the love, prayers, and support during the hardest chapter of our lives.

With so much love and gratitude,

Dana.