Help us help my sister

Every year for our birthdays since before I can remember, my big sister Christy and I have written a novel of love and appreciation to each other inside of a card. For this reason, I have written my feelings for her dozens of times. That isn’t the part of this that feels strange or difficult. The part that feels strange and difficult is sharing with you one of my deepest fears- that she would be diagnosed with cancer.

That fear has come to light.

My sister is an artist, a mother of two little girls, an eco art therapist, an entrepreneur, a loving and supportive wife, the funniest person I know, and she is my gem.

Christy was diagnosed with Invasive Intraductal Carcinoma on March 29, 2022. After what has felt like nonstop appointments with doctors, surgeons, oncologists, genetic counselors, etc and completing scans, biopsies, bloodwork, and MRIs, Christy will complete a minimum of 4 months of chemotherapy followed by a mastectomy. After that, radiation will be considered and at least a decade of hormone therapy will be required.

Christy is only 41 years old. We have no breast cancer in our family. She breastfed both her babies for over two years. This shouldn’t have happened to her. But it shouldn’t happen to anyone.

Ive learned more about cancer and treatment in the last month than I imagined I could, but one thing that stopped me in my tracks was when I learned that chemotherapy costs $12,800 per month on average and insurance only very partially contributes to this cost. And throughout all of this, bills and mortgages and life financial deadlines still have to be met.

Christy’s husband Cory has a work ethic that can not be matched. He doggedly cares for their family. He is so loving and big hearted and always eager to learn more about how he can help anyone in every situation. Although our family has contributed as much as we are able (and will continue to), it is my goal that as a community of friends and family, we can assist my sister and her beautiful family with their upcoming medical bills and specifically to support my brother-in-law, Cory, so he can give more of his focus to her and their girls, Isla and Elsie, without having to dedicate so much of his time to work to pay the bills as his wife faces the most unimaginable feat.

Early on in the discovery of this cancer, my sister told me through tears that she will beat this for me. She knows how badly I need her. And if you know me, you know it too.

If you read this, please pray for her and for us and please consider giving a donation so that the financial portion of this nightmare will not prevent her from feeling hopeful about her future.

Because this December, I plan on giving her a birthday card that puts our usual novels to shame.

I am thankful to each and every one of you.