My mother Dawn, affectionately known as Lovey, was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer after one of the hardest years of her life. She lost both her parents in the span of 10 months, had to comfort her children as we put down our family dog, took care of her husband as he recovered from major neck surgery, was in an accident that totaled her car the day before her 60th birthday, and was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. All while being the sole breadwinner for our family, which she can no longer do. That’s why we’re asking for help.

My family is doing everything we can to support ourselves as well as our mother, but with kids to feed, bills to pay, and college tuition fees, we can’t do it alone. My mom will have to undergo chemotherapy and radiation to reduce the size of the mass (and swollen lymph nodes) that are currently blocking all airflow to her right lung, which has collapsed. A future of countless doctors appointment’s, MRIs, PET Scans and more. She will have to get additional treatment for her dermatomyositis, a rare autoimmune disease spurred on by her lung cancer.

My mother is the strongest person I know. A mother of four, grandmother of three, and a light in so many people's lives. Over the years she has housed many children that weren't her own, letting our friends in need stay for months, or in some cases years, at a time. For the past 19 years she’s been caring for people as their nightshift nurse at HCA, and before that at TMH. She’s a respected charge nurse, her younger coworkers call her “bestie” and get excited to see her on the schedule. Patients feel better when they know she’ll be the one to take care of them. She has spent her entire life loving and caring for others.

So I ask, if my mother has ever extended her kindness to you, can you please, find it in your heart to return some of that same kindness. The goal might be a big scary number, but truly anything helps. If you can’t afford to help financially, ‘cause lord knows times are tough right now, please share this around. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we navigate this hard time.

Thank you.