Hello, my name is Annie McGillis and I am doing something that is way outside of my comfort zone- asking for financial help after a cancer diagnosis rocked my family and my world.

Full disclosure- Annie, the woman, wants to cancel this account because I never want to ask for help. I got it. It's fine, I'm fine, everything is FINE!

Annie the wife and mother of two (a 5-year-old and a 5-month-old) knows that it's not fine, we aren't fine, and I have to do this for them.

Background.

In June of 2025, 4 months after the birth of my son, I felt a lump while breastfeeding that led to a diagnosis: triple negative breast cancer. This is the most aggressive form of breast cancer and requires a very aggressive treatment plan; one that does not allow for working while raising a baby who won’t sleep at night, a kindergartener who is struggling with all this change, and husband who wears so many hats these days, it’s a wonder he can fit through the front door.

Meet Janice.

It's a bit unconventional, but I named my tumor Janice after the annoying character on the classic TV show Friends. She came out of nowhere and is going to prove difficult to remove from my life, though not impossible.

The first thing Janice stole from me was my ability to work. I have always felt called by God to be a nurse and help others in their darkest hours. Now it is going to be my turn to stop helping others and be helped in my darkest hours. I hate this.

Janice threatened to take my husband's livelihood next. My husband is self-employed, running Shoreview Outdoor Services, a local small business specializing in personalized landscaping, decorative concrete curbing, and snow removal. (Shameless plug here--Check him out online at www.shoreviewoutdoorservices.com for all your outdoor needs!) Part of owning his own business means he is unable to get affordable health insurance for the family. It wasn't a problem when I was working, but thanks to Janice, we are left with expensive, limited options. It also means he doesn’t get paid time off or paid family medical leave when caring for his sick wife, new primary-parent role, or the hundred other things he has been put in charge of since the world stopped for Janice. No work means no pay for him.

Now what.

When people ask me this, I default to my positive nature by saying- I'm fine. God will find a way to make it all work out. Hey, if He turned 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread into a yummy meal for thousands then he will see us through this too. And I force a smile so the dark abyss I see in front of me doesn't show. I ignore the Dave Ramsey financial nerd inside me that is shouting, look at the budget- it doesn't add up!

Today, taking a deep ragged breath, I finally concede that maybe the way God is going to provide for us is through the generosity of those around us. So many of you have asked me for a way to help- well, this is it. Taking the stress of making ends meet off of me would allow me to focus 100% on destroying Janice.

Nitty Gritty- bullet point edition cause this is getting long...

What the money will go towards

I'm sure there is more I haven't even been able to wrap my head around yet.

In conclusion

• Janice has got to go.

• I need help to not have to worry about finances so I can spend all my time annihilating Janice.

On behalf of my family and myself, please prayerfully consider giving to this GoFundMe page. And if you are in need of landscaping, contact Shoreview Outdoor Services, LLC – second shameless plug to support our family this way as well.

Thank you and God Bless,

-Annie, Robin, Ariah, Hunter and Duke (dog) McGillis

(If you want to follow along on my journey- I have a caring bridge at: https://www.caringbridge.org/site/5daa7ab9-747e-11f0-b244-ad3575a24a7f?utm_source=website_share&utm_medium=share_button&utm_term=&utm_content=link_share_button&utm_campaign=private_home_page)