Dear friends, family, and kind strangers,

My husband Billy has been my partner, my rock, and my best friend for 22 years. Over the last five years, we’ve been battling metastatic melanoma together. 

Billy is an Army Combat Veteran, and the VA has officially ruled that the melanoma he is battling is 100% service-connected, meaning this cancer is directly linked to his military service.

Now, Billy has been diagnosed with Leptomeningeal disease (LMD), a rare and aggressive form of cancer that attacks the membranes around the brain and spinal cord. LMD is unpredictable, relentless, and there are no treatments that can stop it.

We are nearing the end of this Melanoma journey. Billy will need full-time care—help with the simplest tasks, constant attention, and support—every single day. I will be leaving work to be his caregiver, to be there for him in the way he has always been there for me. This time is short, uncertain, and incredibly precious.

We are moving back to Washington to be closer to family, but the costs are more than we can manage on our own. We need help covering the move, replacing my income, and paying for RV site rent—housing that used to be covered through my job. Every dollar will go directly to helping us make this transition so I can focus entirely on Billy’s care and comfort.

I know this is heavy, but we are sharing our story because we need help. Every donation, every share, every message of support means the world to us. It allows us to focus on what truly matters: being together, loving each other, and making the most of every moment we have left.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for standing with us, for helping me care for Billy, and for honoring our journey in this deeply personal and challenging time.

With love and gratitude,

Renee & Billy