Help Erika and Family Overcome Cancer Challenges

Hello all, my name is Erika Kiehart. To some, I may be just another woman battling cancer and Neurofibromatosis Type 2. I am a disabled mother of three beautiful daughters, ages 24, 15, and 10. To my daughters and my parents, I am their guiding star through their lives. I have stage 2 bladder cancer called Urothelial Carcinoma. On October 23, 2024, I was also diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis Type 2. I have tumors growing on my nerve endings throughout my body. The scary one is growing on my spinal cord and intertwining in between my vertebrae at L1, L2, and L3. I have to have spinal surgery; however, I am unable to do this right now and I have to prolong my recovery process until I can pay someone to watch my children, help them to and from school, cook, clean, etc.

I also need to pay for home health care for my parents. With the spinal surgery I need to have, I am at a large risk for paralysis. I eventually have to have this surgery done and I can't put it off too long, because it could take my life.

My mother was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer and had to have 17” of her colon removed. She is now receiving chemotherapy for that. Two weeks after she was diagnosed with colon cancer, she received another diagnosis of stage 2 Invasive Lobular Carcinoma. She is starting radiation for her breast cancer. I drive her to all her appointments. Then there's my father, who was diagnosed on October 18, 2024, with stage 2 skin cancer. He also recently had 3 discs fused in his neck. Once again, I am the driver for his appointments as well.

My mother is quickly fading away to skin and bones as she is having trouble eating due to chemotherapy. She is also a diabetic.

While dealing with all this cancer and treatments, we have exhausted all of our funds from every source. I had to make a choice back in August to either pay for my homeowners insurance or pay for my co-pays, deductibles, medications, fuel, hotel rooms for having to travel out of town for treatments, etc. We live in a rural area, so we have to travel to larger cities. My mother has to be driven 2.5 hours away for her treatments. My dad has to be driven 1.5 hours away for his treatments, and my treatments are 1 hour away.

Since I canceled my homeowners insurance, Hurricane Helene came very close to our area, causing a lot of tornadoes, strong winds, and rain, which has caused us roof damage. Now the ceiling in the living room is about to cave in and is causing black mold to grow inside my wall. My children and I can't breathe in this black mold. I have no means of fixing the roof and wall now. We live just outside the area that was declared a natural disaster, so FEMA will not help us.

I am constantly praying and asking our Dear Lord to please give our family a break and help us make it to watch my children become successful in this life. My eldest daughter, Destany, 24 years old, was working as a CNA until back in March she started having seizures and was diagnosed with epilepsy. She is unable to drive now until she is 6 months seizure-free. My 15-year-old daughter, Victoria, is a straight-A honor student. She wants to be a Forensic Psychologist after she graduates and finishes college. Starting next year, she will be dually enrolled in high school and taking college courses. My youngest, Alexis, is also an A student. I am my girls' world. I try to hold back my tears because I don't want my children worrying daily about me to the point it impacts what they have to stay focused on to become successful.

Despite all the challenges and trials we are all going through with the cancer and Neurofibromatosis, I try to stay focused on staying strong and helping each other day to day. I would love to live long enough to see my children graduate and become successful adults.

My parents, myself, and my children would be so thankful to be able to continue the treatments we all need and the surgery I need on my spine. To be able to get our roof, ceiling, and wall fixed so we can live and breathe safely again.

Every donation would mean the world to us. Every donation, no matter the size, will help us reach our goal, which is to keep pushing forward to receive the treatments we all need and fix our home to make it safe again.

God bless all of you!

Thank you in advance for any help for myself and my parents.