My name is Magalieh Acosta and my cat, Molly, has been diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma in her right ear canal.

She was officially diagnosed January 14, 2026 after months of struggling with ear infections and balance/coordination problems. Upon speaking with her oncologist, he recommended stereotactic radiation therapy as her best bet to kill the tumor, minimize the size, and to restore her quality of life. This, of course, comes at a cost.

I hate asking others for help. I always try to do everything on my own as best as I can. But, I can’t do this alone and I do need help. To quote her oncologist, I have to be Molly’s voice. I want to give her a chance to survive this. She will only have 3 strong treatments of stereotactic radiation therapy. As of right now, I only have estimates for two treatments: $7,506 and $8,968.

I have considered palliative care and making her comfortable until the cancer becomes too much. But she already doesn’t respond very well to her current medications. She gets so drowsy, she falls off the bed, and has been scratching her ear and side of her face raw. The tumor is attached to her skull and has spread to her TMJ, hence her scratching her side of the face. It’s preventing her from opening her mouth completely, and is spreading to her nerves causing her to sometimes get stuck in a limited range of movement. It almost looks like a seizure, and I don’t want the end of her life to be lived in moments of pain and lack of control. I don’t have kids and consider my pets to be my children. If you’re able to help at all, Molly and my family will be forever grateful.