My name is Brooke Rodriguez and I am a single mom of three amazing kids. My oldest daughter is a senior in high school, captain of her color guard team, my middle daughter is a freshman on the varsity softball team, and my youngest is in junior high playing soccer. They are my entire world, and I’ve been doing my best to keep everything together for them. I work full-time, sometimes six days a week, making $17 an hour, but with the cost of living, sports, and everyday expenses, we are already stretched beyond our means.

Two years ago, I was diagnosed with multiple autoimmune disorders. Over time, my health has steadily declined, and in the last six months, it has gotten drastically worse. Most days I wake up in unbearable pain. It hurts to move, to breathe, and even to be touched. From the outside I may look fine, but inside, my body feels like it’s turning against me. There are days I’m so weak that my 14-year-old daughter has to help me out of the shower—something no child should have to do for their mom.

A few months ago, after multiple hospital visits, imaging showed a shadow behind my right breast implant. The implant has shifted onto a cluster of nerves, appears to be leaking, and is causing severe pain. The shadow has grown since my last mammogram and now raises serious concerns. My surgeon has strongly recommended that I have both implants removed immediately and that the mass behind my right implant be taken out and sent for biopsy. The hope is that this surgery will finally stop the daily pain and allow me to start healing.

The devastating part is that because this is not considered “life-threatening” in the immediate future, insurance will not cover the surgery—even if I had coverage. I would have to pay the cost upfront, plus face 2–4 weeks of recovery where I cannot work. Right now, I can’t even afford to take one day off.

I’m terrified—not just because of the unknowns with the mass (especially since my grandmother battled breast cancer that later spread to her bones), but because my children are watching me fall apart, and I feel powerless to stop it. I want to be the mom they can depend on, not the mom they have to take care of.

This GoFundMe is my only option. The funds raised will go directly toward covering the surgery, medical expenses, and helping with bills during recovery so I don’t lose everything while I heal. Any amount helps, and every share matters.

From the bottom of my heart—thank you for reading my story, for caring, and for helping me fight for my health and my kids’ future.