Supporting Lisa’s Multi-Cancer Fight
Donation protected
No daughter ever wants to hear that her mother is sick. It’s especially difficult when there’s a cancer diagnosis, but to know my mother is only the 30th documented case of her kind is a completely different type of isolation and fear. She has two types of cancer: Stage III Multiple Myeloma and Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. Only 29 prior cases have been studied where these two cancers co-occurred. The treatment will be long, intense, painful, and obviously not even guaranteed to work. It’s more than worth a shot, though! If not for her or me, for my seven year old son who loves his “BeBe” more than life itself. One of the most difficult parts of this diagnosis has been not knowing how to console my baby while he stays up at night crying and worrying.
When I had multiple strokes due to the same genetic blood clotting condition that took the life of my own daughter, my mother was there to help me learn how to walk, speak, eat, shower, write, be a mother to my surviving child, and function on my own again. She never left my side. From the day I was born, she raised me alone and I had a magical, dreamland, fairytale childhood. I can’t wave a wand and make her life a Disney movie like mine was but I *can* happily put my life on hold and make it my job to care for her. I’m just going to need some help. My grandparents are gone, she has no siblings, and I’m her only child so 100% of the daily responsibility falls on me, as does 100% of the responsibility for my son since I’m his only parent. Maintaining my own appropriate blood levels and monitoring my Congestive Heart Failure means I’m essentially taking care of all three of us.
My mother is a very private person but I tend to be a bit more outspoken; the healthcare system in the United States is privatized for profit and that’s disgustingly unfair. The fact that this country has so much incredible technology and such vast resources is fantastic…..if you’re wealthy enough to pay to play. Cancer doesn’t care if you can afford to be sick, and neither does the government. My mother doesn’t have insurance and it could be five months before she’s approved even on an emergency basis. During that time, we quite literally have to pay to keep her alive. This is how our fundraiser will be spent:
We may be unprepared but we’re also unwilling to quit. I can’t do anything but love her and trust that this reaches the right people who can help me help her. I’m reminded of the first “update” I posted after announcing the death of my daughter nearly nine years ago: “where there is life, there is hope. Where there is love, there is even more.” I still believe that to be true. I’ll end with my deepest gratitude for hearing me out and these words from my mother herself:
From Lisa: Any amount helps. Whether you can or can’t donate, please share this. Sharing this will literally save my life because without help, I can’t afford to stay alive. It’s free to share a link so please, please do that regardless of whether you can personally donate. Each day Heather wakes up with her fragile heart and blood conditions is a blessing; it’s terrifying to think what would happen to Key if both of us were to die. For the sake of a precious, beautiful, innocent boy, please share this and keep sharing it. I believe in miracles, the power of community, the goodness of humanity, and love. I know I can do this with your help and the Lord above. Thank you so much for your time and consideration♥️
When I had multiple strokes due to the same genetic blood clotting condition that took the life of my own daughter, my mother was there to help me learn how to walk, speak, eat, shower, write, be a mother to my surviving child, and function on my own again. She never left my side. From the day I was born, she raised me alone and I had a magical, dreamland, fairytale childhood. I can’t wave a wand and make her life a Disney movie like mine was but I *can* happily put my life on hold and make it my job to care for her. I’m just going to need some help. My grandparents are gone, she has no siblings, and I’m her only child so 100% of the daily responsibility falls on me, as does 100% of the responsibility for my son since I’m his only parent. Maintaining my own appropriate blood levels and monitoring my Congestive Heart Failure means I’m essentially taking care of all three of us.
My mother is a very private person but I tend to be a bit more outspoken; the healthcare system in the United States is privatized for profit and that’s disgustingly unfair. The fact that this country has so much incredible technology and such vast resources is fantastic…..if you’re wealthy enough to pay to play. Cancer doesn’t care if you can afford to be sick, and neither does the government. My mother doesn’t have insurance and it could be five months before she’s approved even on an emergency basis. During that time, we quite literally have to pay to keep her alive. This is how our fundraiser will be spent:
- Medications: both the chemo infusions and the take-home prescriptions
- Diagnostics: biopsies and scans, as well as potential surgeries if the cancer has metastasized to her liver like her physicians are trying to ascertain now
- Medical bills: we’re less than a month into this and the total is already over $120,000
- Basic needs: while she’s sick, she’s unable to work. Bills don’t pay themselves and I can’t do it alone. The childcare costs alone would make it impossible since she’s always been my son’s “babysitter”
- Therapies: physical, mental/emotional, occupational
- Nutrition: special calorie-rich drinks since she’s unable to tolerate solid foods even with anti-sickness medications
- Travel costs back and forth to her 3-4 weekly appointments
We may be unprepared but we’re also unwilling to quit. I can’t do anything but love her and trust that this reaches the right people who can help me help her. I’m reminded of the first “update” I posted after announcing the death of my daughter nearly nine years ago: “where there is life, there is hope. Where there is love, there is even more.” I still believe that to be true. I’ll end with my deepest gratitude for hearing me out and these words from my mother herself:
From Lisa: Any amount helps. Whether you can or can’t donate, please share this. Sharing this will literally save my life because without help, I can’t afford to stay alive. It’s free to share a link so please, please do that regardless of whether you can personally donate. Each day Heather wakes up with her fragile heart and blood conditions is a blessing; it’s terrifying to think what would happen to Key if both of us were to die. For the sake of a precious, beautiful, innocent boy, please share this and keep sharing it. I believe in miracles, the power of community, the goodness of humanity, and love. I know I can do this with your help and the Lord above. Thank you so much for your time and consideration♥️
Organizer
Heather Dalton
Organizer
Loganville, GA