Cancer Recovery and Book Project

Hey internet friends! I'm a 30 year old Michigan girl living in Eugene, Oregon. I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Photography from Northern Michigan University. I am a two time cancer SURVIVOR! (Yay!)

So far I am still cancer free. I have been in remission from Hodgkin's Lymphoma for one year and I am still going strong. Every day I feel better, and I am hopeful that I have finally slain the cancer dragon for good!

I am simply grateful to be alive, however, I am absolutely crippled by the weight of my medical bills. I am struggling to file for medical bankruptcy. (Who knew bankruptcy cost so much money? How does that even make sense?)

I'm currently working a limited amount as my body is still recovering from a stem cell transplant and 3 months of intense chemotherapy back in February 2013. (Phew! That was heavy!) I am on disability and this helps me pay for most of my day to day expenses, but things are tight, and I don't want to be on the government dole forever. I need help to get myself back on my feet, and as much as I hate the idea of "begging" for money, I am forced to quiet my pride and rely on the generosity of the wonderful people in this world willing to help those in need.

Besides getting myself a clean slate financially, I'd like to fix my computer and my digital camera so that I can work on the book I am putting together about young people facing cancer treatment. The book will include self portraits taken while enduring chemotherapy and multiple surgeries. It will include healthy eating advice and recipes, and it will have advice and random bits of hope for anyone facing cancer treatment, but especially for young people whose lives are already so unstable. When you are single, do not have a stable job, and don't even really know what you want to do with your life, cancer is just one more impossibly lonely, scary thing to deal with. I want to show others that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, that they are not alone, and with hope, love, and a whole lotta faith, they can make it to that ever wonderful survivor status.

I put a goal of 5,000 because this should get me on my way with a new computer and camera, bankruptcy filed and taken care of, maybe get me in line to go back to school for my masters degree, (I'd like to pursue writing and photo-journalism) and perhaps enough to make a prototype of my book that I can send to publishers.

If you could help me with my dream, I would be so grateful! If you can't, blessings to you, and I hope reading even this short amount of my story brings some hope and joy to your life! <3