I want to tell you about my beautiful sister-in-law Lisa MacDonald. I have known her for 26 years, and in that time I’ve watched her give so much of herself to others with compassion, strength, and a quiet selflessness that has always defined who she is.

Lisa has spent her life working with and volunteering with persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She is raising four strong and independent children and has been the primary caregiver for her family her entire life. Her husband, my brother Jonathan, is in the Navy and has spent many years on deployment.

In April 2025, Lisa was diagnosed with Stage 4 ovarian cancer. By the time it was diagnosed, it had already spread to her bowels, lungs, and lymphatic system.

Ovarian cancer is rarely diagnosed or caught early. In most cases, it is already advanced when found by medical professionals, and the majority of the women diagnosed are 60 years or older. Lisa is 43.

The last year has been exceptionally hard on her. She has undergone multiple surgeries to have pleural catheters implanted to drain fluid from around her lungs, has had to be resuscitated by paramedics, and has spent weeks in the hospital on multiple occasions.

Lisa has been undergoing chemotherapy and immunotherapy for the last 10 months. She has faced changes in her mobility and energy, experienced high levels of pain and nausea, a loss of independence, and a number of serious complications from both the treatments and the cancer itself. Through it all, she has continued to take care of her family and worry about others instead of herself.

Unfortunately, the first- and second-line treatments that have been attempted were unsuccessful in curbing the cancer’s growth, and she has been told she is inoperable and terminal.

Lisa has been told there is another chemotherapy option that could be effective in fighting her cancer, improving her quality of life, and helping her retain some independence and dignity. However, it is not covered by our provincial government. This treatment offers the best chance for a longer, better quality of life for Lisa, but it comes with significant medical expenses.

The family is exploring options to have insurance cover part of the $30,000 per treatment cost, but the financial burden is almost insurmountable. Lisa has spent her life caring for others, now it’s our turn to care for her.

Donations will help cover the cost of treatment not fully covered by insurance, as well as ongoing medical expenses and everyday living costs such as rent, utilities, food, and basic household bills, as she has been without an income since her diagnosis.

This fundraiser is a way for the many people whose lives Lisa has touched to support her during this difficult time. Any contribution, or even simply sharing this page, is deeply appreciated.

If you’re able, please consider leaving a note of encouragement on this GoFundMe page. Messages of support mean more to Lisa than you may realize.

Thank you for supporting Lisa and giving back to someone who has given so much to others.