Support Alva's meditation retreat and family living costs

Our sister, Alva, was diagnosed with breast cancer at just 34 years old. In August 2021, when Alva's youngest son was only 6 months old, she found a lump on her breast. The lump had been there for about 2-3months. At that time, she had multiple trips to the emergency department where it was thought she had mastitis until Alva went for an ultrasound. Unfortunately Alva was officially diagnosed with stage 2 ductal carcinoma on her 35th birthday. It was also confirmed Alva's cancer is triple negative, making it a very aggressive and tricky cancer to treat. Sadly, our family has a history of the BRCA1 gene: our mother has survived breast cancer twice, and we lost our aunt to ovarian cancer. Unfortunately, no emphasis was brought on our mothers diagnosis of the BRCA1 gene and we found out Alva's cancer was hereditary after she was diagnosed. Meaning it was too late for Alva to undergo life saving preventative surgery. Despite this, Alva put her whole focus into getting better and underwent chemotherapy and a double mastectomy. During this time, she was very unwell, requiring blood transfusions regularly. She battled through all that hardship and by Christmas of 2021 Alva had completed her chemotherapy and was ready to get her life back.

Unfortunately in October 2022 Alva started experiencing additional symptoms—muffled hearing, blurred vision, and severe headaches. When she sought medical help, doctors found 3 lesions in her brain, devastating news that marked the beginning of even more intense treatments, including brutal radiation and chemotherapy. She was now battling stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Since then, Alva has been having MRIs on her brian every 3 months since her diagnosis. Unfortunately due to the aggressive nature of her cancer, the brian lesions have reoccurred on 2 separate occasions since her diagnosis. One lesion was diagnosed on Mothers Day this year. And most recently and most devastatingly, in October 2024 where she was diagnosed with metastasis to the meninges, spine and neck.

On top of the physical pain, Alva has the emotional burden of not being able to fully care for her two beautiful boys, Shay (5) and Finnley (3), or her incredibly supportive husband, Paul. Her daily life has been filled with anxiety, fear, and guilt over not being able to be there for her family in the way she so deeply wishes. This has been unimaginably hard for all of them, especially Alva.

Throughout this painful journey, one thing that has truly helped Alva find some peace and strength is meditation. It has been her way of managing the overwhelming fear, anxiety, and uncertainty that cancer brings. Meditation has allowed her to face the mental and emotional toll this illness has taken on her, and it’s helped her find hope and strength to keep fighting.

After attending a meditation retreat in May 2024, Alva experienced a profound shift in her mental well-being. She has since dreamed of attending an advanced meditation retreat in Florida, USA, to deepen her practice and build the resilience needed to continue her healing journey. With everything that Alva is facing, this retreat would give her the tools she needs to stay mentally strong and hopeful as she continues her fight.

The medical treatments, surgeries, and daily care have put a tremendous financial strain on Alva and her family. Paul has been an incredible support, juggling his role as a father and caretaker, but the costs of treatment and everyday expenses continue to mount. We are starting this GoFundMe campaign to help raise funds for Alva to attend the meditation retreat she so desperately wants and needs. 

Also any funds raised outside of what is needed for the retreat will go to everyday expenses for Alva and Paul and the kids so Paul can stay at home and look after Alva and their two boys.

Attending this retreat will help Alva strengthen her mindset, giving her a much-needed sense of peace and hope. Meditation has been her lifeline, helping her navigate this dark and painful journey. Your donation will go directly toward covering the costs of the retreat, travel, and associated expenses, giving Alva the opportunity to find the mental and emotional strength she needs to keep going.

Any amount you can contribute, no matter how small, would mean the world to Alva and our family. Your generosity will not only help her attend this life-changing retreat but also give her hope and the tools to continue her fight. If you are unable to donate, please consider sharing this page with your friends and family to help spread the word. Together, we can make a difference in Alva’s healing journey.

From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for your love and support. Alva is an incredibly strong and beautiful person, and we know that with your help, she can find the hope and strength to continue fighting this battle. We are forever grateful.