My mom, Mama Dee, has spent her whole life caring for others — now she needs our help to fight for her life.

Hi, I’m Sam, and this is for my amazing mom, Deidre Cox — though many of you know her as Miss Dee, Dee, or Mama Dee.

My mom has always been the kindest, funniest, and most selfless person you could ever meet. She’s been working and helping others her entire life — always with a smile, always putting her heart into everything she does.

She started her journey as a waitress at the old Kmart diner where Tri-State Mall once stood in Claymont, Delaware, and later worked at Howard Johnson’s, which eventually became Crossroads off Naamans Road in Claymont (both of which have since been torn down). She made lifelong friends at both places and was loved by everyone she met.

She also worked as a short-order cook at a truck stop off Terminal Avenue in New Castle, before later joining Haks Sports Bar, where she stayed for almost two decades. At Haks, she worked as a cook and house mom, taking care of everyone like they were her own children — which is how she earned her well-known nickname, “Mama Dee.”

When she was diagnosed, she was working night shifts at Dash-In, a job she absolutely loved. She would come home with stories about her night, how she loved her coworkers and how much she adored the customers; always talking about how much she enjoyed meeting new people. If someone was short on money, she’d cover the difference. If someone was hungry, she’d buy them something warm to eat. And one night, when a young woman was stranded far from home, my mom gave the girl her coat and allowed her to stay until she got done her shift. So when her daughter (me) came to pick her up from her shift at 6 am, I was surprised to find out that a stranger was getting into my car because my mom was determined to make sure she got home safely. We could've been killed! Thanks, mom! Lol. That’s just who she is — always giving, always caring, never asking for anything in return.

In May 2025, our lives changed when my mom was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer. During her surgery to remove the tumor (lumpectomy), doctors discovered the cancer had already spread. After further testing, we learned it had aggressively metastasized to her bones and other parts of her body.

Now, her body is riddled with tumors — from her spine and back to her pelvis, knees, and even her brain. The pain makes it hard for her to walk or stand, and she’s had to stop working entirely to focus on treatment.

Despite everything she’s facing, she still smiles, cracks jokes, and tries to make everyone around her laugh. That’s the kind of person she is — strong, loving, and endlessly giving.

When someone first suggested I make this GoFundMe, I hesitated. I’ve donated to others before, but asking for help myself brought a flood of emotions. I felt embarrassed, ashamed, and convinced that no one would care enough to help us. My mom and I have always been the ones helping others — never asking for anything in return. It’s not because we’re too proud or think we’re too strong, even though we are strong women. It’s because we never want to feel like a burden or take from anyone else who might need it.

So please know this — making this page is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. But this isn’t about me. This is about my mom, and I would do absolutely anything to save her. She means everything to me.

If you’ve met my mom, you already know how special she is — she’s a trip to hang out with, full of laughter and love. And if you haven’t met her yet, I truly hope someday you do, because she’s the kind of person who makes your day brighter just by being in it. She’s the most honest, patient, generous, hard-working, and trustworthy person I’ve ever known.

She’s spent her entire life working hard and caring for others — but she’s never truly lived for herself. I can’t remember her ever taking a vacation, except the one time I took her home to Virginia to see some family and to see her daddy before he passed away. Other than that, she’s always just worked and gone home. She deserves to live, to laugh, to relax, and to finally be cared for the way she’s cared for everyone else.

The last thing I want is for her to feel alone while she’s fighting this battle. My mom and I don’t have many people in our lives, and I don’t want her to stress about money when she’s already fighting for her life.

Right now, she needs help more than ever. Between treatment, travel to appointments, bills, and daily living expenses, things have become incredibly overwhelming. I’m doing my best to take care of her, but it’s hard doing it by yourself.

Donations will go directly toward:

Getting her to and from all her appointments

Her bills

Daily living expenses

If you can’t donate, please share this page to help spread her story. Your kindness, prayers, and support mean the world to our family and especially to Mama Dee.

— Sam