As some of you may know, and many not know, my mom, Lorna Kirkpatrick, was diagnosed with polymorphous adenocarcinoma, which is a rare salivary gland cancer, back in April of 2024.

At the end of May, my mom had the tumor, which was in the roof of her mouth, 4 teeth, and jawbone, removed. This now leaves her with a hole in the roof of her mouth. As of now, she has a temporary appliance that works as the replacement, but she has to get it adjusted every week to every other week in Great Falls because of the amount of discomfort it causes her.

She is eligible to receive a permanent replacement appliance, but this is where the expensive part is. This permanent replacement is going to cost her $9,500 out of pocket; unfortunately, dental or medical insurance will not cover this piece. We are asking for $10,000 to help my family with this expense and travel expenses to and from Missoula to help my mom get back to normal.