Hello friends, family, and community,

If there ever was a time when we needed to step up for someone in our community, it is now.

Our dear friend, teacher, writer, and cat mom Mary Jennifer Payne has been diagnosed with an extremely aggressive form of breast cancer (Triple Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma) on top of her autoimmune diseases.

Jennie is a self-employed, former long-time Regent Park and Parkdale area teacher and author, bringing decades of life-changing, trauma-informed support to students–many of whom experience systemic racism, poverty, and illiteracy. Over the last five years, she branched out into tutoring dyslexic students who couldn’t read and–in some cases–write their own name. Since then, she has run a successful practice that created jobs for specialists in the community and allowed her to offer scholarships for free and reduced tutoring to those in need. Under her direction, dozens of students have built literacy skills that changed the trajectory of their lives.

As Jennie’s autoimmune disease continued to put a strain on her, in 2023, Jennie bought her first house in Hamilton, Ontario. She hoped to find peace tutoring online and relaxing in her home-grown pollinator gardens. Unfortunately, her dream quickly transformed into every homeowner’s nightmare. The house that had been inspected and given the OK was not as it seemed. Extensive prior undisclosed renovations, shoddy electrical work, and water damage made it unsafe to live in. A little over one year after purchase, Jennie scooped up her kitties–including local stray, Jude–and vacated the property for her safety. In 2025, she was forced to sell the property at a 60% loss. As we write this, her house debts are still being paid out-of-pocket alongside her rent in Toronto. Jennie returned to Toronto to be with her community to work through the trauma from the Hamilton situation and to focus back on her company and writing career. She has been working without any time off since July of 2023 due to the enormous debtload she’s been saddled with. This has included four moves within three years.

Despite being imbued in multiple life-altering challenges and roadblocks, Jennie continues to show up every day for her students, friends, and community. An avid supporter of Parkdale Food Banks, Toronto Community Angels, and other grassroots community groups, including fostering for All Paws cat rescue, Jennie spends her free time assisting in the distribution of food, clothing, and toys to underserved neighbours. She can be found talking to everyone she comes across, especially unhoused neighbours.

Jennie is also an unyielding advocate for community change, and is involved in campaigns and initiatives that bring real solutions to the issues she has witnessed in her professional career and life.

Everyone who knows Jennie has had her by their side during the darkest times of our lives. She has been to many of her student’s funerals, supported friends with cancer, and traveled extensively to support anyone in need.

Jennie has poured from a cup that seems to have no end. This time, we need to pour into Jennie’s. Treatment for cancer of this type is going to require many long hours of hospital visits, rest, and recovery to ensure she has the best outcome. She will require chemotherapy, radiation and surgery for at least a year, followed by hormone suppression therapies for another 5-10 years. Since she has no disability that will cover her expenses, we are asking everyone to donate anything they can to help ensure she can survive and get back to tutoring, volunteering, writing, and changing lives. There is no short-term disability for Jennie, so her long-term partner will be on unpaid leave to support her during this time, traveling back and forth from California.

Please consider donating towards Jennie’s fundraiser so she doesn’t have to worry about declaring bankruptcy during this distressing time. She’s worked so hard to get to this point. Losing everything is just not something we can allow to happen.

Our goal is $50,000 (or $50 from 1,000 people, or $25 from 2,000 people!). Of course, every cent makes a HUGE difference and helps give Jennie the peace of mind so she can KICK CANCER’S BUTT!

With endless gratitude,

Robbie, Caitlin, Mark, Lori, and John