The Road to Brain Surgery and Recovery.

Most of you know Keira as a deeply dedicated elementary school teacher, a loving mother, and someone who always puts her community first. You also probably know her for her incredible sense of humor, bright smile, and her ability to find the glittering silver lining in almost anything. Right now, she and Tim need our community to rally around them and their family.

Back in November, Keira sustained a back injury while teaching in her classroom. The good news? After three months of dedicated physiotherapy, rest, and massage, her back is doing much better! But in a strange twist of fate, that incident may have actually saved her vision. While undergoing medical treatment and tests, doctors discovered something entirely unrelated and unexpected: a brain mass.

Meet "The Creature"

After meeting with her neurosurgeon, Keira got a firsthand look at her MRI. As she describes it, the mass—which they are lovingly calling "Creature"— has made a home at the base of her brain.

Unfortunately, Creature is a bit of a "hugger." It is taking up a large space and squishing important arteries, vessels, and nerves tied to her vision, concentration and mobility. This explains the increasing headaches, double and blurry vision, and the sudden realization that the right half of her face has far less sensation than the left!

The Eviction Plan:

Keira always joked she wouldn't make it to 40 with all her original parts, but she expected to lose a gallbladder or tonsils, not undergo brain surgery. But, in her own words: "I apparently choose to continue to do things in life the creatively magical way that sometimes makes things harder and more exciting... I apparently enjoy a full Kool-Aid Man through the drywall moment."

Within the next 4 to 8 weeks, Keira will be heading to the Hospital in Edmonton for complex brain surgery to remove as much of the mass as safely possible. While it comes with big risks, the positive effects far outweigh the negatives, and she is ready to face it head-on knowing there is an army of support standing with her.

Why They Need Our Help:

Keira is currently utilizing her ultimate teacher-planning and years of wildfire management skills to organize the massive logistics of this medical crisis. Because they live almost three hours away from Edmonton in Slave Lake, this surgery brings a heavy financial and logistical burden.

She will require at least a week in the hospital in Edmonton, followed by months of recovery at home with heavy physical restrictions. Furthermore, she is currently medically restricted from driving.

While Keira focuses on resting and preparing for surgery, we want to ensure Tim and the family don't have to stress about the financial fallout.

The funds raised will go directly toward:

* Edmonton Accommodations: Paying for Tim and her family to stay in the city to be near her during her surgery and immediate hospitalization.

* Travel Expenses: Gas and travel costs for the back-and-forth trips between Slave Lake and Edmonton.

* Keeping Home Routines Alive: Helping cover childcare, groceries, and daily living expenses to keep her kids' routines as normal as possible back home while their parents are away.

* Lost Wages & Recovery Supplies: Offsetting the possible income gap while Tim takes time off to be her primary caregiver, and purchasing specialized items needed for her strict post-op recovery at home.

How You Can Support:

Keira has spent her career caring for our kids and our community, and she is tackling this terrifying diagnosis with unmatched grace and humor. Now, it is our turn to show up for her.

If you are able to donate, any amount brings immense relief to their family. If you cannot donate right now, please consider sharing this page with your network.

Thank you for your love, your prayers, and your support. We look forward to hearing when Keira gets her surgery date and begins the long road to recovery!!