♥️ Jessica's journey is tough, but so is she — let's stand with her as she fights cancer.

Our amazing mom, Jessica Perez-Tynes, has always been the heart of our family — a positive, kind, and generous woman. She has always cared deeply about others, and even the causes in the world around her. She is endlessly selfless, always putting others before herself. And she has continued to do all of this — to love, to support, to show up — even while bravely fighting multiple myeloma, a rare form of blood cancer.

Gigi, Friend, Tia, Nina, Sister, Wife, and Mom — these are the titles she holds from her loved ones. To know her is to love her, and she embodies each of these roles with everything she has. She shows up in ways that only she can: planning parties and family gatherings, making pickups and drop-offs, cheering on her “littles” at sports games, sharing movie nights, cooking comfort food, giving advice throughout long conversations, or simply offering a shoulder to cry on.

If you know my mother, you know she is one of a kind. She is honest to her core — she means what she says and says what she means, with no sugarcoating. She is also the strongest and wittiest person I know. Always good for a comeback! She’s able to bring laughter even in the hardest of times. What truly makes her special is her heart. She has a loving soul that draws people in, making everyone around her feel cared for and seen. She is the type of person who gives selflessly, never asking for anything in return.

We are reaching out to friends and family because my mom has always been a firm believer in “it takes a village”, and no one wins the battle alone. Let’s surround her with the same love and strength she has always given so freely to others.

Jessica’s Story

Earlier this year, Jessica developed severe back pain radiating down her left leg. An emergency room visit led to X-rays and MRI, which revealed multiple lesions on her spine, ribs, arm, leg, skull, and lung. After weeks of doctor visits and mounting pain, specialists finally reviewed her scans and suspected multiple myeloma. Our hearts sank when we learned a mass was pressing against her spinal cord. Without immediate treatment, she faced the risk of paralysis.

She quickly began 10 rounds of radiation through her chest and spine. The treatment successfully reduced the size of the tumor, but it also severely damaged her esophagus, leaving her unable to eat or drink without extreme pain. With medication, she was able to heal her damaged esophagus. Then, a bone marrow biopsy confirmed our worst fears: Jessica was officially diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

Over the past several months she has endured several cycles of chemotherapy, steroids, and immunotherapy. Despite ongoing pain and difficult side effects, Jessica has faced each challenge with courage. Thankfully, she is responding well to treatment. Still, the fight is not over.

Recently, Jessica was referred to a hematologist-oncologist at Stanford Medical Center for a bone marrow transplant. This October, she will undergo a bone marrow transplant — a procedure where doctors remove her own marrow, treat it, and return it to her body. While there is no cure for multiple myeloma, this treatment gives us tremendous hope that Jessica will be able to manage her disease and enjoy more time with her loved ones.

During her recovery, Jessica will need to remain near Stanford for 30 days, followed by quarantine away from family and friends. Unfortunately, this comes with overwhelming expenses, including medical bills, housing, and other treatment-related costs.

We are reaching out to family, friends, and compassionate supporters to help Jessica rest a little easier with financial help so she can focus on healing with a little less stress!

Thank you for taking the time to read about Jessica’s journey. Any donation, no matter the size, will go directly toward her medical and living expenses during this critical time. If you’re unable to give, your prayers, love, and shares of this page mean the world to us.