I wish I wasn’t writing this, but here we are. My wife, Barbara Steinbach, has been diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer. After a fast and exhausting week of scans, tests, and waiting, we got the official news: she’s HER2 positive and begins chemotherapy TODAY morning (Friday, Oct 17) at Siteman Cancer Center — just down the road from our home in St. Louis.

In typical Barbara fashion, she’s calm and tough. I’m… less calm. For those who like the details: the cancer spread into the skin and blood vessels, so it’s aggressive but treatable. She’ll be on the TCHP chemo regimen for 18 weeks, followed by a double mastectomy. She had to quit her job, they didn't really have any benefits, so she she will have to restart on the other side of the cancer

We have the bonus of having our son Addison living at home and helping, but chemo is grueling. It just slows everything down, and that is fine. But it's going to take some time.

We could use support in the simplest, most human ways:

• Meals: Home-cooked or just extra portions of whatever you’re making. Addison is not a cook, and frozen pizza can’t be his only food group. DM or email me if you’d like to drop something off.

• Company: Books, puzzles, art projects, or just conversation. She’s been quiet lately but needs connection and distraction.

• Care help: Friends who can cover occasional overnight or day shifts after chemo sessions — there’ll be about six major ones before surgery.

And yes, if these are not options - a donation would be very helpful. We haven't even talked about wigs yet, but we KNOW they have to be cool.

This next year will be long, but we’re staying focused and laughing when we can. I’ve been through chemo myself, so I know the path — it’s hard, but navigable with community.

Thank you for reading, for caring, and for anything you can offer. Love from our family —