Help Maile Care for Her Mom: A Fight for Life and Recovery

Hi, my name is Maile, and I’m organizing this fundraiser to support my mother Mary's recovery.

It’s just my mom and me. We have no nearby family; our relatives are all in Hawaii or scattered across other states, so I’ve been her sole caregiver both throughout the years and her support, especially during this deeply traumatic time.

In mid-April, my mom became very ill. After two ER visits within the same week, a CT scan revealed severe diverticulitis. She was admitted to the hospital on April 15th and underwent what was expected to be a straightforward 3-hour surgery on April 25th.

But once the surgeon began, he realized he couldn't proceed robotically and had to perform the operation manually. Inside, he discovered far more than expected: a cancerous tumor, a fistula, severe infection, an abscess, and other complications. The surgery quickly escalated into a high-risk, 5+ hour operation. Part of her infected colon had to be removed, a colostomy bag was placed, and the damage between her colon and bladder had to be repaired. Because of her small, frail frame, the trauma to her body was immense.

After the surgery, she was moved to the Critical Care Unit of the ICU, sedated and on a ventilator. She spent days in critical condition, battling sepsis, high fever, and dangerously unstable vitals.

I do have a photo of her during her most critical state, sedated and on the ventilator, but out of respect for her and how emotional this experience has been, I’ve chosen not to share it.

By God’s grace, she pulled through. She is now breathing on her own, but her recovery is far from over.

Her speech remains affected from days of intubation and sedation, and swelling in her tongue continues to make swallowing difficult, even on her all-liquid diet. She is still weak and undergoing daily physical therapy just to sit up or take a few assisted steps.

Once her doctors complete the necessary tests and scans, she’ll be transferred to a rehabilitation facility for a few weeks to regain her strength before she can safely come home. After that, she’ll begin chemotherapy to continue her fight against the cancer.

In the midst of all this, I’m doing everything I can to care for her and manage things at home while also recovering from a 3-level cervical spine surgery. I’m unable to drive due to limited neck mobility, so I rely on Uber and Lyft for all hospital visits and errands, which adds up quickly.

We’re humbly asking for support to help cover:

Transportation to and from the hospital and rehab so I can be with her (the rides are about $15 each way, $30/day round trip)

Transportation costs for her chemotherapy appointments

Groceries and essentials for her post-surgery diet at home

Medical needs and supplies for recovery

Help with household bills while I focus on her healing

This has been one of the most overwhelming and painful experiences of our lives - physically, emotionally, and financially - especially navigating it alone. I’ve done all I can on my own, but we truly need help at this time.

If you can donate, any amount, no matter how small, would mean the world to us.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your compassion, your prayers, and your support.

With love and gratitude,

Maile & Mary