It’s hard to even comprehehend. One year exactly to the date of our father Mike’s passing from cancer, it was confirmed our mom Lynn has an extremely rare form of  cancer.  She is a unicorn - with a Neuroendocrine tumor in her common bile duct.  Mom is in need of incredibly complicated surgery to remove the tumor, and will most likely have treatments thereafter to ensure the cancer is squashed.
          The same hospital that treated Dad, has already become a much too familiar place for my brother Mike, Mom and me. The Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, nearly 300 miles from Mom’s house (an additional 450 miles from the Bay Area) is the absolute best hospital for her cancer treatment. There they have the only diagnostic equipment in the Pacific Northwest for her cancer type. There is an incredible surgeon, Dr. Rod Palmier, who exclusively studies Neuroendocrine Cancer.  And because Mom  is a Unicorn, every doctor, nurse and student there wants to see her and learn from her. 
          But I’m sure you can imagine it’s difficult to financially absorb all the hotel nights, gas, and parking, while taking unpaid time off work to care for Mom when she’s down. This is why we’re asking for your support. 
          We don’t know how many nights we’ll be requiring hotel stays, or the number of trips north we’ll be making.  But we are being frugal in our hotel choices, and cooking instead of eating out. We’ll make all financial gifts to our mom’s GoFundMe stretch. 
         So, if you were thinking of stopping off at Mom’s and dropping off a meal, or sending her a thoughtful get well card, plant or bouquet of flowers, we would like for you to consider making a small donation instead. A $10 gift will provide us a 1/4 tank of gas and get us nearly 50 miles closer to Portland or home.  $40 will pay for a day’s worth of parking in Portland. Sigh. $100 will almost get us a hotel room right near the hospital.    
          Mom insists on paying for EVERYTHING while we’re there, and we refuse to let her. Any small monetary gift would be greatly appreciated.
          Love from...
          The Unicorn, her Daughter and Son