Help Elias and Michalis Rebuild After Losing Mum to Cancer

Help Elias and Michalis Rebuild Their Dance Careers After Losing Mum to Cancer

Our Story

We’re Elias and Michalis, two brothers who’ve devoted our lives to dance. For the past three years, we dedicated ourselves to being caregivers for our beloved mum during her courageous battle with cancer. Now, we face the challenge of rebuilding our lives and careers in the dance industry.

We’re reaching out for your support to help us navigate this difficult journey of restarting.

In 2018, our mum was diagnosed with breast cancer, which progressed to a metastatic stage by 2021, spreading to her lungs, liver, bones, brain, and meninges. Without a husband or partner at the time of her diagnosis, she relied on us—her sons—as her closest family.

We became her primary caregivers, a full-time commitment that required us to manage the emotional and physical demands of her illness. Over these three years, we significantly scaled back our professional dance careers to focus on supporting our mum. We sacrificed our income and crucial opportunities for growth and advancement in our field, but we wouldn't trade that time with her for anything.

Our mum was our biggest inspiration; her love for dance sparked our passions from a young age. By helping us rebuild our careers, you're also helping us honor her memory in the most meaningful way possible.

Your support will make a big difference for both of us, Elias and Michalis, as we plan to relocate, audition, network, and restart our careers with our mum in our hearts. We deeply appreciate any assistance you can offer, whether through a donation or by sharing our campaign. For more details about our story and how the funds will be used, please read the “Additional Details” below.

Thank you for your support.

With sincere gratitude,

Elias and Michalis Schinas

Additional Details

We had moved out of Cyprus to pursue our dreams of becoming professional dancers. From a young age, our mum nurtured our passion for the art. She attended every recital, cheered us on at competitions, and wholeheartedly supported our dreams to become professional dancers.

Her unwavering belief in us fueled our dedication, and we owe our careers to her love and encouragement.

When our mum's health declined, we put our professional dance careers on hold and moved back to Cyprus for long periods of time to be by her side. Occasionally, we accepted short contracts to earn money to support our family and cover caregiving expenses while maintaining essential connections in the industry.

A few days ago, our mum passed away after a long and courageous battle. The funeral contributions we’ve received will help us cover immediate expenses, including the funeral itself and short-term living costs during this period of transition. It will also allow us to spend the next month and holidays with our closest family and friends—a time we feel we need to grieve, heal, and reconnect.

We think that this period of connection is essential for us to process our loss and return to the stage as artists with full hearts, ready to honor our mum’s memory.

Our Near-Future Plans

With the start of the new year, we plan to rebuild our careers in the dance industry. Transitioning back to full-time performers while grieving is challenging. The dance industry is highly competitive and requires not just physical readiness but emotional resilience as well.

We understand that taking this time might seem like it’s optional, but it's a necessity for our mental health and artistic integrity. We want to honor our mum's memory by returning to our profession fully prepared to give our full hearts.

The Challenge We Face

As dancers, our careers are inherently unstable. The industry is highly competitive, offers limited long-term financial security, and requires substantial upfront investments in training and travel. After three years away from the industry, we must rebuild our physical strength, reconnect with professional networks, and regain momentum. Your support will help us regain momentum, rebuild connections, and return to the stage stronger and more resilient than ever..

Why We Need Your Support

We are humbly asking for assistance to help us rebuild our careers by covering essential expenses during our transition back to being full-time performers. Rebuilding our careers after three years of caregiving comes with considerable costs, and your support will help us take this step.

How Your Support Will Be Used

Our goal is €15,000, equally split (€7,500 each), to cover approximately three months of transition costs. This includes:

Relocation & Travel: Flights for Michalis to Los Angeles and for Elias to audition and work abroad.

Living Expenses: Rent, utilities, food, and other essentials for daily life.

Professional Costs: Classes, workshops, studio rentals, and gym memberships to regain our competitive edge.

Emergency Funds: A small buffer for unexpected expenses.

These funds will allow us to focus on rebuilding our careers without depleting the limited savings set aside for essential long-term needs, ensuring we can navigate future challenges with stability.

Giving Back

If we are fortunate enough to surpass our goal, we are committed to contributing funds to the Anticancer Society of Cyprus (https://www.anticancersociety.org.cy/en/home), which provided invaluable support to us and our mum throughout her illness with advice, medicine, and palliative care. We will keep everyone informed about any donations made to this wonderful organization.

A Heartfelt Request

This time with family will help us grieve and reconnect, preparing us to transition from caregivers to full-time performers. Your generosity enables us to rebuild in a way that honors our mum’s memory and the sacrifices we’ve made.

Thank You

Your support will make a profound difference in our lives as artists, enabling us to rebuild our lives and honor our mum’s legacy. Whether through a donation or by sharing our campaign, your kindness means the world to us.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story.

With sincere gratitude,

Elias and Michalis Schinas