A second battle with Cancer

For my friends and family who don't know this woman, meet Kim. She is hands down one of the most important people in my life as we have become sisters and a tribe. We are raising our children side by side.

Kim survived Breast Cancer when she was diagnosed in 2017. After a year of battling, she was considered a survivor. Just a few short months ago, in 2019, we celebrated what we imagined was ONE YEAR CANCER FREE! What none of knew is that there was undetected Cancer lurking within her, this time Renel Cell Carcinoma (Kidney Cancer). This was an incidental finding after a month of total exhaustion and pain because of her Chrons Disease flaring up. After a battle with two hospitals to get them to see what was in her kidney, she was diagnosed with Cancer for a second time in her life at 38 years old. She was told by the hospitalist that because of her economic status and the fact that she was a single mother, it was his recommendation not to treat. Yes, you read that right; in his opinion, she is too poor to fight Cancer. He doesn't know Kim well enough to know she is a woman who will never give up with her tribe behind her.

The cost of Cancer is grave the first time around; it financially cripples you, even with insurance, grants, and spending your retirement and life savings to save your own life. Kim is such a warrior that she and her family fought this battle alone the first time. She is still in debt to her first Cancer, all so she could be alive to see her children grow.

On December 16, 2019, Kim will again undergo surgery to remove the Caner and be forced to take 4-6 weeks off from work unpaid to recover. She has already had to take two weeks off for the time spent in the hospital, fighting for her diagnosis and all the appointments following a meeting with the medical team that will be taking part of her left kidney coming up with plans and looking at the scenarios. She has listened to statistics, has had to plan life with her children while she recovers and a life for her children if she doesn't make it this time.

As some of you know from your own personal experiences surviving Cancer is not cheap. Being a single parent is not cheap. I am asking for all of my friends, family, her friends, co-workers, and strangers to consider donating money so that in her second battle with Cancer, she doesn't have to do this alone. It is my wish she is able to recover without the fear of losing her home and the security to know that when she kills this Cancer, she won't owe it a debt for being able to keep her own life.