Easing the Burden for Marilyn and Richard's Family

Hi, I’m reaching out with a heavy heart on behalf of my aunt Marilyn, uncle Richard, and their children Makayla and Luke.

My aunt was diagnosed on March 22nd, 2025, with stage 4 pancreatic cancer that had spread to her liver. She has undergone several rounds of chemotherapy, which was slowing down the growth of her tumors. On August 3rd, it was discovered that she had a blood clot on her left lung. Her platelets were low, so she had to take a few weeks off of chemotherapy. During that time, she had 2 strokes a week apart from each other, which caused her to have to be hospitalized in St. Cloud. A care team then decided it was best for Marilyn to discontinue chemotherapy and be placed on hospice. Over the last week, her health has significantly declined.

In July, my uncle Richard was hospitalized with a severe case of pneumonia. It took him a while to recover, and then he was transferred to rehabilitation in Paynesville for a few weeks to regain strength. He was then discharged to his daughter’s care and requires frequent assistance with meals, oxygen, and medication reminders. On August 22nd, he had an appointment where his care team decided the next best option was placing him on hospice care as well.

With the care needed for both of her parents, Makayla and her husband Lance have made the decision to sell their home and move to her parents' home in Paynesville. During this time, they have had extensive vehicle repairs come up on both of their vehicles, which has been an added expense and has slowed the moving process. She has also had to take off from work and is currently only working one day a week. My heart aches for what my cousin and her husband are going through during this time.

As they prepare for their peaceful transition through hospice, they are also faced with the emotional and financial weight of end-of-life expenses. Marilyn and Richard have meant the world to our family. They always had a generous heart and opened up their doors to help people who needed a place to stay. Marilyn worked as a caregiver for many years and loved to play bingo and read books. Richard was a hard worker and was very involved in AA, supporting others.

Unfortunately, like many families, they are not financially prepared for the high cost of end-of-life care, funeral, and memorial services. We’re hoping to raise $10,000 to help cover:

Any amount — no matter how small — will help ease the burden during this incredibly difficult time. If you’re unable to donate, sharing this page means the world to us, too.

We thank you for your kindness, prayers, and support during this difficult time.