Help Bri Fight Cancer & Support Our Miracle Twins

It is with a heavy heart and overwhelming emotion that I share this news with you all. Our lives have recently taken an unexpected turn with the discovery of Bri's colon cancer diagnosis. We kindly ask for your help in supporting Bri's fight against cancer and covering the medical expenses for her treatment, as well as the ongoing care for our miracle twin boys, Banks & Brooks.

Bri's Colon Cancer Diagnosis

Just two weeks ago, doctors unexpectedly found a large tumor and diagnosed Bri with colon cancer. Since then, we've been slowly gathering information on her treatment options.

Her medical team has emphasized the urgency of the situation and strongly recommended immediate action. On Friday, May 5th, we confirmed that Bri will begin chemotherapy and radiation within the next week or two. This rigorous treatment will last for a minimum of 6 months, followed by an intense surgery and 3-month recovery.

136 Days in the NICU with Our 23 Week Twins

For those who may be unfamiliar with our story, Bri gave birth to our miracle twin boys, Banks and Brooks, at 23 weeks pregnant in September 2022. We were told neither of the boys had a chance, and from there, we began a very long and difficult NICU stay filled with incredible highs and lows. After four months across two hospitals, heart surgery for Banks, and countless lung issues for Brooks, we finally brought both boys home in January 2023 with feeding tubes and Brooks requiring supplemental oxygen. As they continue to grow and improve, Bri has stepped up as their primary medical provider and caretaker, managing their ongoing medical needs (both boys still have their feeding tubes) and attending weekly appointments, PT, developmental therapy, and clinics. This is all while I work full-time to support our family financially. Bri was on the verge of returning to work when her cancer diagnosis turned our world upside down once more. After an already tumultuous year, we find ourselves putting our lives on hold again as we focus on finding answers and fighting this battle.

The Challenges We Face

In addition to the overwhelming challenges we currently face, we must now confront the likelihood of infertility resulting from the aggressive nature of Bri's chemo treatment. Despite the whirlwind of emotions and obstacles, we still hold onto our dream of expanding our family in the future. To preserve any hope for having more children, we find ourselves in a race against time to freeze Bri's eggs before she begins chemo. Unfortunately, insurance won't cover the costs of egg extraction or alternative medicine treatments that could help alleviate the side effects of her chemotherapy.

Beyond that, chemotherapy will also take away Bri's ability to breastfeed our twins. This is just another emotional challenge, as Bri devoted months to pumping at home while the boys were in the hospital, determined to breastfeed our preemie boys. The progress she made is now cut short due to her treatment. These combined circumstances add yet another layer of emotional strain to our already difficult journey, making your support all the more invaluable.

We're immensely grateful to those who generously contributed to the boys care during their NICU stay, which greatly helped to cover a significant portion of their medical expenses last year. Unfortunately, due to the boys extended NICU stay through the first two or three weeks of January, we reached our insurance's maximum out-of-pocket limit both last year and this year. As a result, we continue to face a growing pile of medical bills for the boys from both years. In addition, Bri's extensive cancer treatment presents its own set of expenses, some of which we know will not be covered and will be out of pocket.

How You Can Help & Follow Our Journey

The best support you can all give Bri and our family is by sharing her story and celebrating the miracle that is our boys. Your prayers and love brought them home, and we believe they will guide and strengthen Bri throughout her fight against cancer.

Bri is committed to documenting and sharing her experiences throughout this journey. To follow updates on the boys, our family, and her fight and recovery from cancer, you can check out her Instagram (@bri_mahon) or TikTok (@brimahon).

As we navigate this challenging period, we kindly ask for your support in helping Bri fight colon cancer and cover the medical expenses associated with her treatment, as well as the ongoing care for our miracle twin boys, Banks & Brooks. While it's difficult to pinpoint a specific goal number, given the uncertainties surrounding the loss of work, bills, additional treatments, child care, and more, we can assure you that every contribution will make a significant difference in our lives.

Your generous donations will help us cover the following expenses:

Every contribution, no matter the size, will directly impact our family during this difficult time. We are eternally grateful for the love, support, and kindness you've shown us.

With heartfelt thanks,

Blake, Bri, Banks, Brooks