Christine Molano Burgos

You would never know.  If you met her today, you would never know.  She looks beautiful and healthy and not "sick",  but within her body a war is raging.  My sister Christine has been on a journey for over 10 years with Metastatic Breast Cancer.  She keeps it private, her battle scars are many.  Christine has endured countless surgeries, scans and tests, and more tests, medications and injections.  But through all these years of her daily battle to hold back the cancer she has managed to raise three daughters.  She has worked to support them and herself everyday.  She has only taken time off for appointments or to recover from a medical procedure.  She always returns to work, probably sooner than she should.  She has kept her apartment for 20 years, paid all her bills, help care for her grand-daughter, always doing the right thing.  Handling her fight with grace and dignity.

Christine's battle with cancer has never been predictable.  Her cancer isn't following the model.  She has been somewhat of a medical anomaly.  Her tumor marker numbers are so high they're unexplainable.  For all accounts she shouldn't have done as well as she has.  The Breast Cancer cells are moving around. Her bones are taking the brunt of the damage, they are weakening and slowly disintegrating.
Then 2 weeks ago a scan revealed that it has entered her brain.   

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING.

She has let go of her independence and has already moved in with her daughter. She has finally stopped working everyday so that she can rest more and devote her time to herself,  her family and this new battle.  Her hope is to be here to meet a new grand baby due in May.

So now my purpose for this fund:  I know she doesn't want to be a burden.  She has never complained about the journey she has been on.  She doesn't want pity.  Christine never, ever asks for help even when she needs it.  That's what kind of person she is.  Her support system has been the brave women with MBC that - online- share their knowledge, lift each other up, as well as mourn for those they lose.

I don't want to lose her.  But I can't fix this.  I can't cure this.  All I can do is speak out for her today and try to make sure that the time she has is free from some monetary worries.

This fund will be used to pay for medical expenses, whatever she may need for comfort and especially for her final arrangements - which she wishes to plan now so her daughters are not left with the task or the debt.  It is so difficult to write about such things and even more difficult to ask for help with such things.  But it is all I can do.

Any kindness, whatever your heart moves you to offer, will be truly and deeply appreciated. Please learn about Metastatic Breast Cancer.   

Because if you met my sister Christine today, you would never know.