Our beloved teacher and friend, Kama, has spent her life selflessly supporting others. As former students from the South Surrey/White Rock Learning Centre, we’ve seen firsthand the impact of her compassion, wisdom, and unwavering support. Kama has been a safe haven for so many — someone who encourages us to grow, to be ourselves, and to chase our dreams no matter the obstacles.

Now she’s facing one of the biggest obstacles of her own.

In August 2023, Kama was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer. It’s an aggressive form caused by a rare genetic mutation (BRAF V600E, MSS), and traditional treatments have been limited in their effectiveness. But there is hope!

In June 2025, Kama began a promising immunotherapy treatment using a drug called Opdivo (nivolumab). In a clinical trial, a new combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy (FOLFOX with nivolumab) showed very promising results. Patients with the exact same diagnosis as Kama achieved a “complete response to treatment” (American Society of Clinical Oncology). We are incredibly hopeful that this could result in full remission for Kama.

Kama lives in Port Alberni and is in the prime of her life at just 43 years old. She has raised her 12-year-old son, AJ, as a single mom. Not only is she fighting cancer, but she is also supporting AJ as he navigates a recent Type 1 diabetes diagnosis. Kama’s personal goal is to be here to watch AJ graduate from high school — and with your support, we hope to help make that dream a reality.

BC Cancer has prescribed this treatment, but they won’t cover the cost due to limited clinical trial data in her specific case, and the treatment is costly.

Kama’s story has already touched many hearts, including the drug manufacturer, who is supporting this fundraising campaign by reducing the price of the medication by 50% through their Access To Hope Program.

Now, the cost for Kama to access Opdivo is $5,675.50 every 4 weeks. She has received $6,205 in private donations already, which means we only need to raise $27,848 to cover her treatment for the first 6 months. With additional costs such as gas and GoFundMe fees, we are rounding our goal to $30,000.

If her oncologist confirms good results after 6 months, additional financial support from the drug company may be available.

Kama has given so much to her students and community. Now it’s our turn to give back. Every donation, no matter how small, will go directly toward giving Kama a real chance at healing, and time with her son.

Please share, donate, and support in any way you can.

Let’s rally for Kama — just like she’s always rallied for us.