Most of you know her as Gabi or Gabriele, but to those closest to her, she is "Mom" and "Oma." Being Mom to her five children (Max, Diana, Fiona, Timo, and Elise), and now Oma to her five grandchildren (Caden, Rheya, Broxton, Belle, and Everett), and Mother-in-law to her older children's spouses (Eby, Bryan, and Mikey) has been Mom's greatest joy and purpose. Raising her five children, for the majority on her own as a single mother, Mom understands how important it is to receive support when available. She learned quickly that nurturing support and empathetic guidance were essential for the growth of her young (and now, older) children. For the past sixteen years, Mom has been a Bowen therapist, helping people with physical ailments find relief from pain and discomfort. Her Bowen practice was a wonderful source of balance for her, as well as a way for her to support herself and her children financially when she decided to go back to school in 2010. Over the next ten years, she earned an Associate's, a Bachelor's, and finally a Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling and found a new way of supporting others: as a counselor for the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) of CA helping job seekers with disabilities obtain employment and/or independent living. With her children grown and mostly out of the house, helping others in need of support, brought Mom a newfound sense of purpose. Then came February: Mom found a lump in her breast. Hopeful that it was just a cyst, but concerned enough to rule out anything harmful, unbeknownst to her, her breast cancer journey began. After several doctor visits, a biopsy, and meetings with her oncology team, she had her diagnosis:  Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Triple-negative means that her breast cancer is not hormone-driven (staying isolated to the breasts, uterus and ovaries); her cancer could pop up anywhere on her body, and chemotherapy is essential to eliminate the lump, while at the same time, eliminating any other potential lumps that might otherwise arise. While caught early, it is an aggressive form of cancer that needed immediate treatment. Her oncologist quickly put together a chemotherapy plan which began May 25: 4 double rounds of chemo over 8 weeks, followed by 12 weekly chemotherapy treatments until October, then recovery and preparation for surgery in November/December. Simply put... from now until Christmas, or perhaps into early 2024, Mom will not be able to return to work.  As a single-income household, having to take leave from her employment with the DOR is going to hit her hard financially. Aside from basic living expenses and mortgage payments, there will be medical expenses and additional treatments not covered by insurance. We are grateful that our mom is in very good health, aside from her cancer, and we are optimistic and hopeful that she will have a full recovery and remission and be with us for many years to come. Even still, it's going to be an intense summer and fall for her, and we are going to need all the support we can get so that Mom can focus on healing and getting better, rather than worrying about financial stressors. We are hoping to raise some funds to help lessen the financial burden for her while she is receiving treatment. If you are able, please consider a donation to support our family. We are truly grateful for whatever amount you can give. And, if a financial donation is not something you can offer at this time, please consider sharing this fundraiser with others who might be moved and able to help. With love and thanks, Fiona, Mikey and Everett, Elise, Diana, Bryan, Broxton and Belle, Max, Eby, Rheya and Caden, Timo, and (of course), Mom