In November, after two biopsies and a PET scan, my dad was diagnosed with Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma in the neck. In the coming weeks, he will need to spend about two months in Houston receiving radiation and chemotherapy.

While we are grateful that treatment is available, it also comes with unexpected expenses. One of the biggest needs during this time is a patient apartment near the hospital, so he can safely stay close to his medical team throughout treatment. This fundraiser is meant to help cover those housing costs and ease some of the financial stress during the next few months.

My dad has always been the kind of person who shows up. When I went through chemotherapy, he made sure he was in my hospital room every single night, no matter how tired he was or what else was going on. He never hesitated. He just showed up.

Now, as roles have shifted, I wish I could be there for him in the exact same way. But with a 3- and 4-year-old at home, I’m not able to take him to every appointment and be by his side every day. Helping make sure he can stay close to the hospital during treatment feels like the least I can do to support him the way he’s always supported me.

If you know my dad, you might have been at the end of some of his motivational talks. He taught confidence, resilience, and heart, and those lessons went far beyond the classroom or the field. As he goes through treatment, we'll see these lessons work again.

Any donation, share, or kind word means more than we can express. Thank you for helping our family focus on what matters most right now.