Hi, my name is Jen, and I need help covering the financial aspects of fighting for my life against Triple Negative Breast Cancer, and a handful of other life-altering medical conditions including severe GI dysfunction (permanent ostomy), stage 4 DIE endometriosis, connective tissue disease, autonomic dysfunction, and other diagnosed medical annoyances. These issues have halted my life in its tracks and are now preventing me from working, doing good in our community, and being a productive human, mom, and person.

By trade, I am an educator, and I own my own organization that works with cancer patients and the progressively ill on reclaiming their lives, body image, intimacy, and sexual function during and after cancer and illness. It’s called Empowering Intimacy, and I work alongside many notable cancer organizations locally, nationwide, and globally. My organization was slated to receive a few educational government grants in 2025 until the government decided certain words were no longer allowed, and suddenly that nixed my funding chances, and thusly my paycheck. For the past two years, I have been doing 95% volunteer work, only making enough to keep my websites up and running (a few hundred bucks a year). I also own a home-based allergen-friendly bakery, OH, Forks!™ My bakery caters to those who have Celiac disease or other dietary or allergen requirements. I have been in business for going on fifteen years. When I was healthier, this was my main source of income at local farmers markets around the county. Unfortunately, I cannot keep up with the physical demands of this currently, and with cancer treatment beginning soon, I will be unable to schedule orders due to the unknowns and side effects.

I am also an active, long-time volunteer for many local organizations. I volunteer weekly for Homebound Meals, Inc. (Meals on Wheels) and deliver meals to our local home-bound humans. I have done this since 2017. I am also an active animal foster for our local city animal shelter since the beginning of the pandemic. This year alone, I have fostered, saved, and nurtured back to health over 30+ kittens and cats. My family and I also help with our local food banks in various ways throughout the year.

At the beginning of 2025, I was dropped by my state’s Medicaid program when the first round of government cuts happened. Even with my life-altering medical issues, inability to work, and reliance on devices and pieces to function daily, I was deemed “not disabled enough” for extra insurance support. I ended up with a “moderate” ACA health insurance plan which left me with higher copays and not as much coverage as I truly need for visits, care, medications, etc. that I need. I spent the year skipping many appointments and therapies and couldn’t get a handful of important medications at all. It was a hard year, and I thought I had adjusted enough to get by. Until I was diagnosed with an aggressive, rare breast cancer on December 9th at 43 years old.

As 2026 begins, I am in the “same” ACA plan, but with higher monthly premiums (up by 125% from 2025), higher copays ($40/per visit), higher deductibles ($1400), higher out-of-pocket ($7600), and still the same minimal coverage. It is unclear how this plan will handle or cover cancer care. I am already facing out-of-pocket costs in the thousands from current bills from the scans, biopsies, visits, etc. in 2025.

Due to my long-term medical issues, my family has gotten by on my partner’s income to keep our house, kids, and life afloat. We live simply and frugally. I am forever grateful for his work ethic and continued financial support. Unfortunately, the cost of medical care is astronomical, and one income just does not cover it.

As of now, I am slated for a double mastectomy with no reconstruction, chemotherapy, and radiation. The order of these things is still up in the air as I have a few weeks of further testing, more biopsies, and meeting with the rest of my cancer care teams in early January 2026. I am eager to have the surgery completed. I will post updates regularly as this will be an on-going fundraiser for the foreseeable future, or my situation changes.

I am desperate for this help so that I can beat cancer’s ass and get back to helping people in our community and around our world while helping to support my family, instead of burdening it and driving us back into medical debt.

All funds raised will go towards:

-Insurance premiums ($250/mo), Copays ($40/per visit), Out of Pocket costs ($7600 for 2026), Deductibles ($1400 for 2026), Uncovered Costs (unknown at this time) (**Estimating >$13k in insurance costs, prior to paying out what isn't covered for care.)

-Medications and Rxs – especially custom needs with treatment

-Medical Supplies for Cancer, the Ostomy, Mastectomies, or otherwise

-Alternative Therapies or Uncovered Medical Devices

-Vehicle & Gas costs

-Lost Wages to maintain websites

-Vehicle Costs: insurance, maintenance, plates

-Medical Costs: Labs, Home Health Services, Infusions

Things to Note:

-If insurance magically ends up covering more than anticipated, the fundraising amount will change to match needs or will stop altogether.

-If someone is interested in covering a specific bill or cost, I am happy to provide specific “receipts” for proof or direct payment.

-If I (finally) qualify for SSDI (disability) and am approved the fundraiser will most likely cease or lessen substantially to cover basics. I have not “qualified” in the past due to my rare issues not being seen by the government as verifiable issues, even though they have stolen my quality of life and many abilities. Not for lack of trying.

-If insurance covers less, the amount needed may grow.

-I can also accepted monetary donations through other platforms or mailed donations.

-Amazon Help List Link: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/NYIHSN14W08T?ref_=wl_share

THANK YOU for even considering helping me and my family work through this challenge and for me to kick cancer’s WHOLE arse! Any donation, shares, or support is appreciated!