2024 Update:
**Thank you to everyone asking if they can contribute to a gofundme for Michelle’s Celebration of Life. We have decided not to do one as we were so fortunate to receive so much generosity from the first one.**
When Michelle was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer her son Pascal, was just 10 months old. She said then that should be here to take Paz to his first day of Kindergarten. She did just that this last September. The 5-year survival rate for stage 4 colon cancer is only 14%. In that regard, she beat the odds. She continued to work while going to chemotherapy every other Friday, all the way up until the last month of her life when she fell ill and was hospitalized.
We thank Dr. Miller, her oncologist, at UCSD who provided her with so much love, comfort, and care. We also thank the incredible medical staff at UCSD hospital, who explored and exhausted all possibilities even if they knew before we did that her cancer had progressed too far.
We are devastated but find comfort in knowing that so many people cared for her. Thank you to everyone who has shown so much love for her.
With Love,
Melissa (Michelle's sister)
2019 Fundraiser
Hi Friends & Family,
Most of you have heard that my sister, Michelle, was diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer. It’s been a hard couple of weeks processing this information as it has unfolded rather quickly and unexpectedly. She’ll be starting a long-term chemo treatment plan in 3 weeks for the rest of her life, however long that may be.
We are all feeling some big emotions and many friends have asked if there is anything they can do to help. Initially we felt an urgency to send them on a bucket list trip before she starts chemo but it’s a bit unrealistic with a 10-month old and her current work situation because she recently exhausted all her paid time off for maternity leave.
While the future is uncertain, we know that they will be spending a lot of their time at home with eachother and we determined a tangible thing we could help them with is their backyard. It’s currently a weed’s paradise. We would like to turn that into their paradise where they can welcome a visit from friends and sit comfortably while watching Pascal play.
What we are hoping to do is rally a lot of people to help us get it done in a very short period of time! This is a surprise! They don't know that we are doing this for them!
We are asking for help in raising the money and people to come help us build it. Our goal is to create a low maintenance space with decking off the main back door of the house, fencing, a new pergola with patio furniture, some flat work with pavers, and a play area of decomposed granite with a sandbox and swing for Pascal.
We are planning to get it done in two weekends, July 20/21 and 27/28 with the bulk of the work on the first weekend – demo work, breaking up and hauling old concrete, roof tear down. We’ll be there all day 7am-7pm so anytime for however long you can do it. You can text me or email me if you can help out or sign-up here:
We would like to have about 15-20 people the first weekend. We’ll provide food/drinks for everyone.
Alternative to gofundme, I’m also collecting money directly through venmo (@Melissa-Watt-7), paypal (paypal.me/melwatt5), or in person cash/check if you are able to make a donation to help buy supplies. Any remaining funds will go to Michelle and Aaron to pay for anything else they may need now or in the future (ability to take time off work, medical expenses, etc).
I wish all of our love could cure her cancer and I pray that she has many years left ahead of her to watch Pascal grow up. This is the best thing we can think of to do something for them immediately to show them our love and support.
Thank you,
Melissa Watt