“For we live by faith, not by sight.” — 2 Corinthians 5:7

My name is Denise, and I’m writing on behalf of my daughter, Jennifer—everyone calls her Jenny. Due to optic tumors, Jenny is now completely blind in her right eye and rapidly losing vision in her left. She can no longer see well enough to share her own story, so I am telling it for her.

Jenny has always been a fighter and a devoted mother.

All she ever wanted was a family to love, and when she had her first son, Ethan, she worked tirelessly to build a good life for him. She put herself through college, became a dental assistant, and proudly supported her family. She was independent, hopeful, and happy.

My daughter’s health began to decline during her second pregnancy in 2009, when she needed emergency surgery for a severe hernia and became dangerously malnourished. Her body never fully recovered.

After the birth of her third child, doctors discovered a large brain tumor. She underwent brain surgery that caused permanent damage, including memory loss, and she was never able to return to work or live independently.

Instead of finding stability, Jenny’s health continued to decline. She has now endured more than 12 major surgeries, including the removal of parts of her esophagus, stomach, and intestines just to survive. During this time, her husband abandoned her and the children.

With no income and serious medical needs, my husband and I took her and our two grandchildren in. For the past eight years, all five of us have been living together in a 400-square-foot RV, and we have covered all living and medical expenses on a very limited income.

Now Jenny is facing her hardest battle yet.

She has been diagnosed with multiple brain tumors, including two tumors wrapped around each of her optic nerves. She is already blind in one eye, and the vision in her remaining eye is fading. The tumors cannot be surgically removed or biopsied. Doctors believe they are meningiomas and are proceeding with radiation as the only chance to save what little sight she has left.

Jenny will begin radiation treatments for six weeks at Duke Cancer Center on January 29th and continue five days a week through March 9th. Duke is more than three hours from our home, so during this time we must stay near the hospital.

The costs of lodging, gas, meals, and medical-related expenses are more than we can manage on our own.

Our goal is to raise $10,000 to help cover:

We are asking for help not because we want to, but because we truly need it.

Jenny is fighting every day not just for herself, but for her children. Her greatest wish is to keep her remaining vision long enough to continue seeing their faces, to watch them grow, and to continue being present in their lives.

Any donation, no matter the amount, will make a difference. If you are unable to give, please consider sharing her story.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness, your prayers, and your support during this incredibly difficult time.