My Story

From Dust to Glory.

They say, “When it rains, it pours.”

Over the past several months, I have continued fighting stage 3B cutaneous T-cell lymphoma while trying to keep my family financially stable after losing my employment.

By God’s grace, I am still standing.

Before cancer changed so much of my daily life, I worked as a school social worker. During this season, I have done everything I can to sustain my family—including using money from my pension, funds that were intended for my future, to help cover essential living expenses while I have been unable to work.

But we have now reached another critical point.

We are fighting to keep our home.

My landlord has been patient with me and has tried to avoid allowing this situation to reach the point of formal eviction. She recently shared that she can no longer continue carrying the financial burden of the unpaid rent.

If I am unable to catch up, my family may have to leave our home so the apartment can be rented to someone else.

This has been our home for six Christmases.

My son is about to turn eight, and so much of the life he remembers has been built here. This isn’t simply an apartment to us. It is the home where he has grown up.

Losing our current housing would not simply mean finding another apartment. Without employment income right now, securing new housing would bring additional financial barriers and uncertainty while I am still undergoing cancer treatment.

If we cannot stabilize our housing, I may ultimately have to begin exploring emergency housing or shelter resources for my family.

My prayer and immediate goal are to prevent our situation from ever reaching that point.

And then our car transmission failed.

In the middle of this housing emergency, we were hit with another major expense.

Our vehicle now needs a transmission, with the repair currently estimated at approximately $4,800.

This vehicle isn’t a luxury. Transportation is essential for getting to cancer treatments and medical appointments, caring for my son, and managing our family’s everyday needs.

It truly feels like one challenge has arrived on top of another.

And physically, the fight continues.

Some of my most difficult symptoms have intensified again.

The severe itching can be relentless. My skin sheds heavily. There are mornings when simply getting my body moving requires stretching, patience, prayer, and tremendous effort.

Yet I keep moving.

I keep showing up for treatment.

I keep caring for my son.

I keep pursuing every resource available to us.

And I keep trusting God.

This is where we need help.

Right now, my most urgent priorities are:

Preserving our housing and catching up on rent

Addressing the approximately $4,800 transmission emergency

❤️ Continuing treatment and meeting essential household and transportation expenses while I work toward financial stability

I am sharing this update because I cannot carry all of these expenses alone.

If God places it on your heart and you are able to donate, any amount helps.

$10 helps.

$25 helps.

$50 helps.

$100 helps.

And if you cannot donate, please share this fundraiser.

Your share may reach the person, church, organization, business, or community that God uses to help us through this season.

My immediate prayer is to stabilize our housing before we reach the point of displacement or formal eviction proceedings.

After six Christmases here, I am fighting to keep the home my son knows while continuing to fight for my health.

I don’t know exactly how God is going to make the way.

But I know how far His grace has already carried me.

One treatment.

One day.

One step.

One prayer at a time.

God’s Grace Through Cancer.

Thank you for praying, giving, sharing, and walking alongside our family.

With love and gratitude,

Erica ❤️

What an Intense Morning look like?