2025 was a rough year for me. No one but my family knew what I was going through, and there were times I wanted to give up. Being a single parent is hard, especially when your child has special needs. I tried to mask the struggles, only sharing the sunny side so neither Kendra nor I would be judged. There were months I had to be late paying rent, car note, and utilities just to make sure we could cover copays for doctor appointments, medications, and life necessities.

Kendra, my daughter, had two tympanoplasty surgeries within a year to repair a hole in her right eardrum, hoping to lessen her hearing loss. Now, she needs a hearing aid to hear out of her right ear, but our insurance doesn’t cover it. I was almost three months behind on my car note, struggling to pay rent, and then learned I’d have to pay a large amount out of pocket, upfront, for her hearing aid. The constant trips for her care, missing work, and the financial strain have been overwhelming.

Kendra will be 9 years old this Saturday and has endured so much at such a young age. I have faith that our blessing is coming, and I refuse to let anger and bitterness follow us into 2026. I’m not ashamed to share our story because someone else may need to know to hang on a little longer—help is on the way. Any support you can give will bless a little girl get her hearing aides.