**Help My Mom Fight Aggressive Cancer and Stay With the Family She Built**

It’s with a heavy heart that I share that my adopted mom, the most consistent and selfless presence in my life, is once again facing cancer — and this time, it has returned aggressively.

We met when I was a child, and even though she had no obligation, she chose me. She stepped into my life with open arms and an open heart, guiding me through every difficult chapter, never once turning away. Over the years, she became more than a caregiver — she became my mother. And when I became a parent, she embraced my children as her own grandchildren without hesitation. With no other grandparents in their lives, she has filled that void with unwavering love, warmth, and support. She is our foundation.

Now, she needs us.

Despite undergoing treatment and facing exhausting travel, she continues to work a full-time 9-to-5 job just to stay afloat. On top of her own mounting medical costs, she also helps support her own mother with bills — a true reflection of her selfless spirit, even in the most trying of times.

She travels from Oregon to Rochester, Minnesota nearly every month for critical care at the Mayo Clinic. These trips are absolutely necessary, but they come at a steep cost. She’s already flown out twice and has an important surgery scheduled for June. Moving closer to the clinic isn’t financially possible, so she must continue to fly back and forth for the foreseeable future.

She pays out of pocket for many of her lab tests, and each trip requires airfare, a rental car, hotel stays, and other medical-related expenses. The burden is overwhelming.

I’m humbly asking for help — not just for her, but for my children, who adore their grandma and need her in their lives. Your support will go directly toward her flights, accommodations, labs, and transportation as she continues this fight.

She has always put everyone else first. It’s time we rally around her, just as she’s done for so many of us.

Please consider donating or sharing this page. Every act of kindness brings us closer to more memories, more milestones, and more time together.

With heartfelt thanks,

Shawnee Rindahl