Last year, many of you carried me through one of the most difficult seasons of my life. Your generosity, your prayers, your messages, and your check-ins held me up when I could barely hold myself.

I never imagined I would be back here asking for help again.

I was recently diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma (breast cancer), and the news has turned my world upside down. It was caught early, and for that I am profoundly grateful. Early detection gives me real options and real hope.

And still… I am afraid.

There is something about hearing the word “cancer” that shifts the ground beneath you. Even when the doctors say it’s early. Even when the prognosis is good.

As someone who is usually the one supporting others, it is deeply uncomfortable for me to ask for help. And yet I know I cannot do this alone.

In the coming weeks, I will be undergoing breast surgery — and possibly multiple surgeries depending on what the surgeons find. I am going to need a lumpectomy to remove the three lumps in my breast and may need a mastectomy depending on the genetic testing I'm waiting on. I will likely need breast reconstructive surgery. I won’t be able to use my right arm fully for at least a month. That means I will not be able to dress myself easily, cook, do laundry, or manage daily tasks without support.

Because I am self-employed, I will need to take extended time off work and pause the private sessions I offer. Time off means no income. The uncertainty of how I will manage financially during recovery feels overwhelming.

Right now I am finding it hard to connect to my joy. I feel like I'm trying to climb out of yet another deep hole which feels exhausting. I'm trying to be brave and courageously put one foot in front of the other but honestly I don't want another fucking growth opportunity. I literally spent most of the past 2 weeks struggling to even get out of bed.

Facing yet another medical challenge feels heavy. I am scared. I am overwhelmed. I am having a hard time sitting in the uncertainty — the waiting for more tests, the surgical decisions, the unknown timeline, not knowing how my body will respond.

And I am doing my best to being brave anyway.

I am choosing courage one breath at a time. Part of that courage is asking for help again, even when it feels edgy and vulnerable.

Your support will help me:

• Cover essential medical costs

• Replace lost income during surgery and recovery

• Hire in-home care assistance

• Manage basic living expenses while I focus fully on healing

Any contribution, no matter the size, truly makes a real difference.

If you are not able to give financially, I would be so grateful if you could share this link and hold me in your prayers. Thank you for hearing this request, which stretches me in ways I never expected. This journey continues to invite me to surrender more deeply and meet a new growth edges.

And I trust that the joyful part of me will rise again on the other side of this. I chose this picture because it reminds me of the parts of myself that I believe can be joyful again.

Thank you for walking beside me again.

With love from my heart to yours,

Caroline