My best friend Helen Shaw (we were roommates in college) is a devoted single mother of two children who rely on her every day — one of whom has special needs and requires consistent care, routine, and supervision. Her life has always been carefully balanced around her children’s needs, work, and caregiving.

Recently, that balance was suddenly disrupted. Helen has been diagnosed with a brain tumor and must undergo surgery. While the surgery is necessary, the recovery will be long and physically demanding. Asking for help does not come easily, but her children’s safety and stability must come first during recovery.

Doctors estimate 8 to 12 weeks of recovery, during which she will not be able to safely care for her children on her own, especially overnight. During this time, Helen’s children will still need stability, routine, and attentive care.

To make that possible, she will need to hire:

• Daytime caregiving support for 8 weeks

• Overnight caregiving for 30 nights

At the same time, she is facing a temporary loss of income during her recovery, as work benefits she relied on are no longer available. This creates a sudden gap at the exact moment her family’s expenses are at their highest.

How your support helps

Funds raised will go directly toward:

• Daytime caregiving so her children are safe, supported, and able to maintain their routines

• Overnight caregiving while she recovers and regains strength

• Transportation support for essential therapy appointments so her child’s care can continue during recovery

• Essential household expenses during a temporary loss of income

• Medical costs, including her health insurance deductible

• Care-related costs, including caregiver taxes, agency fees, and backup care if needed

This support allows her to focus on healing without risking her children’s care or stability.

What your donation does

Every contribution makes a real, immediate difference:

• $25 = one hour of daytime care

• $50 = transportation support for a child’s care needs

• $75 = three hours of support for the kids

• $150 = half a night of overnight caregiving

• $360 = one full overnight caregiver shift

• $1,000 = nearly a full week of daytime care

Our goal

The fundraising goal of $45,000 reflects caregiving costs, a temporary loss of income, medical expenses including her deductible, and a modest buffer for caregiver taxes, agency fees, and unexpected needs during recovery.

She is focused on getting through surgery, healing fully, and returning to caring for her children as soon as she safely can. Any support — donating or sharing — means more than words can express.

Thank you for helping Helen’s family through an incredibly vulnerable time.