When you come to the realization that fundraising and starting a go fund me pretty much is the only option you have at this point to give you a chance at survival to be around for your children, it’s soul crushing. My aunt Elizabeth did just that on her own to try and feel like she was in control of something. To try and start thinking of ways she could pay for the treatment she needed. At this time our family is trying to step in and help create this go fund me for her and sharing is just as appreciated as donating.

This is my aunt lizzy! She has been diagnosed for the second time in less than 3 years with triple negative breast cancer. With the huge family history of breast cancer in our family, My grandmother (her mother) having it 3 times total, having a mastectomy on each breast the last 2 times and beat it. My mother which is my aunt Liz’s older sister having it being misdiagnosed as a cyst to later find out it’s stage 4 breast cancer beating it only for it to come back a second time. My aunt Liz knew how to be proactive, making sure she was getting the mammograms every 6 months, having them always be clear then her finding a lump in her breast, going to the dr for another mammogram to that still showing it was clear, it wasn’t until a mri was ordered that the cancer actually showed up on the imaging. She was scared like how could this have been missed and for how long. Triple negative breast cancer is harder to treat as it’s not as responsive to treatments as other types. She went forward with a double mastectomy, chemo and radiation and was in remission until she started having back pain along her spine that was getting more painful as time went on. They ordered imaging and found a mass that was biopsied and later told that it was the same cancer she literally was just in remission for. The triple negative breast cancer was back and had spread to her back. It has become more aggressive. She was crushed to hear this news. She has had to pick herself up and fight this once again to do anything she can to prolong the time she has with her family and her daughters, but her insurance is denying her treatment, the new job she just started at and now has to take a leave from is unpaid she now has to figure out how she is going to pay for this treatment that her cancer team is saying she needs. Her leave from work is unpaid so has no additional income coming in. The social workers and financial assistance teams are trying to see what options she has but everyday that passes is now turning into weeks and yet has still not been able to start treatment. We are hoping that we can help raise some of the money that she needs to get started at the Cancer Center. My aunt Lizzy is literally the most amazing caring compassionate women that anyone could possibly have in their life. The person all her nieces and daughters look up to for advice and comfort, and who strive to be like. She comes from a long line of strong women, fighters who never gave up. Its unfair that insurance companies are able to dictate who's life is more important than not. We are hoping that people will read about her story and want to help by donating or even sharing to help her! Help her have a fighting chance, if it means it would give her a chance to be here longer for her girls. Below is the original go fund me that she wrote in her own words.

Hello my name is Elizabeth Castaneda. I was diagnosed with stage 3 triple negative breast cancer in April of 2022. I achieved remission in October of 2023. Unfortunately it was short lived, I went to the doctor in July of this year 2025, because of back pain I had been having and MRI results showed that the cancer has metastasized to my lumbar spine in the T6 region and possibly to the right lung. I am now stage 4 and according to doctors incurable. They said with good treatment it can be managed and I can still potentially have a somewhat okay quality of life. We are now almost in September and other than a port placement United healthcare is denying my actual treatment. They have already denied radiation treatments as not medically necessary. According to my oncology team, they are absolutely medically necessary to prolong my life. They have not approved lifesaving chemo. Absolutely nothing for treatment other than a port placement has been allowed. What good is a chest port if there is no chemotherapy to go along with it? I am losing my job and along with that I will no longer have an income or commercial insurance very soon, and I know that Medicaid will not be on board with life saving treatments. Poor people get the bare minimum. I have a 9 year old, Adriana, and I would like to see her into adulthood. How will this be possible without treatment? I am sick and stressed about it and also not knowing how I will even pay my bills. I am pleading with anyone if there is any help I can get for treatment or even resources or help paying for commercial insurance to help me battle this. I have exhausted all options and I deserve a fighting chance at survival regardless of what United Healthcare thinks. I am still praying that God will cure. Please feel free to share and please pray for me. Any help is appreciated. God bless.