Support Laura's Fight Against Stage 4 Cancer

Hello,

So many have reached out and asked me how they can help. So, I decided to make my own GoFundMe to help cover medical expenses.

My name is Laura, and I am fighting stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. I was diagnosed in July of 2023 with stage 3 breast cancer. I went through chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. In May of 2024, I was informed that the cancer had spread to my liver.

The prognosis for someone in my condition is not very good. I was told that I have a 50/50 chance of living 5 years from the start of my diagnosis. That being said, I plan on fighting this with all that I've got! I am currently on medications that help shrink the tumors. Unfortunately, this medication comes with side effects, such as lowering my immune system and making me fatigued.

I recently made one of the hardest choices in my life. I put in my resignation as a 7th-grade science teacher.

My planning periods were filled with phone calls to schedule appointments. My lunch periods were spent trying to call back anyone who I couldn't reach during planning. My nights were spent working on lessons for the next day, as my body throbbed with pain from standing and teaching all day. My medications made/make it difficult to sleep, as did the aforementioned pain. And I was quickly approaching the maximum number of sick days allowed at school, trying to go visit all of the doctors I have to see for my care. I mention all of this because I think some do not understand why I resigned.

I am in the process of going on disability. My "income" will be considerably less than what I would bring in as a full-time teacher. I will have to pay for COBRA insurance for the first two years until Medicare kicks in. COBRA expenses are roughly $915/mo, plus the $2,400/year out-of-pocket maximum. For this reason, I am going to have to move out of my rental and move in with friends and family. I am blessed beyond words to have such wonderful family and friends.

I had so many hopes and dreams. I still hope to fulfill many.

I must keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward.

In full transparency, I will let you know that I want to travel more than anything now. Ironically, I received my passport the month I received the news that I have cancer. I want to use that passport! If it bothers you to donate to someone who has a desire to travel, please, do not donate. I am not sure how much I will be able to travel, with everything that is going on with me, but I want to at least try.

I promise I will set aside anything I earn through GoFundMe towards my COBRA expenses first. Anything beyond my monthly goal amount will be used towards travel.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for your consideration in helping me cover medical and travel expenses.

-Laura-

https://youtu.be/FBcXNv3YDYo