- J
Help My Sister Eunsooki Fight Brain Cancer
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$5,559 raised of
34 donations
Hi everyone,
I’m writing this with a heavy heart and hopeful spirit.
Earlier this year, my younger sister Eunsook— just 32 at the time — was diagnosed with glioblastoma (GBM), an aggressive and fast-moving brain cancer. Her life changed almost overnight. She is now fighting to regain her strength, her independence, and her future.
How It All Started
About a year and a half ago, my sister noticed she couldn’t smell properly. We thought it was lingering symptoms from COVID and didn’t worry. Later, she developed severe headaches, but they were misdiagnosed as a neck disc issue. We now know that was a missed golden window to catch the tumor early.
Then in late March 2025, everything changed.
On her way to work, she suddenly lost her balance walking. The left side of her face began to droop, and her vision blurring.
At the hospital, imaging revealed a devastating diagnosis:
a malignant brain tumor, later confirmed to be glioblastoma.
We expected surgery to happen quickly. Instead, her operation was delayed due to her high WBC (White Blood Cell) count, as her symptoms worsened day by day. It’s heartbreaking to think it could have been done sooner — and maybe preventing what followed.
April 16 — A Birthday in the ICU
On April 16, 2025, the surgery was finally performed — just one day before her 33rd birthday.
Instead of celebrating, she spent her birthday unconscious in the ICU, fighting for her life.
What should have been a joyful day became the start of a long, painful battle.
What She’s Been Through Since:
- Emergency brain surgery to remove a 5cm tumour that has invaded parts of her brain.
- Post-surgery brain stroke, leading to left-side paralysis and right eye vision loss (permanent blindness), and left eye vision damage
- Two weeks with an external ventricular drain (EVD) to relieve pressure
- A second surgery to place a VP shunt inside her brain
- 15 rounds of radiation and chemotherapy (Temozolomide) completed in June (Usually it’s 30 rounds but her physical condition prevents her from completing 30 rounds)
- Ongoing physical rehabilitation, unable to walk, with zero use of her left side
She is still in the hospital today — exhausted, but fighting every day to recover.
A Family Sacrificing Everything
She was a hard-working, independent young woman with a full-time job before this diagnosis — but glioblastoma took that away too.
In Korea, there is no public caregiving support for patients like my sister. Family members are expected to provide 24/7 care — in the hospital, at home, everywhere.
That means my mother and I have had to quit our jobs to care for her full-time.
Your Support Will Help With:
- Rehabilitation equipment and therapies
- Nutritional support (her immunity and strength are very low)
- Out-of-pocket medical and daily caregiving costs
- Ongoing cancer treatment for Glioblastoma (GBM) to hinder the cancer’s progress in her body.
❤️ If You Want To Help
We’re doing everything we can to support my sister using our own means first, and this fundraiser is to help us prepare for what’s still unknown. If we’re lucky enough that some of this support isn’t needed in the end, we’ll make sure to use it meaningfully or return it with care.
I truly thank you for reading our story from the bottom of my heart — for caring, for praying, and for helping us hold onto hope. This fight is far from over, but we believe in her strength. And with your help, we’ll keep walking this road with her, every step of the way.
With love and gratitude,
Eunhee “Abby” Rho & Eunsook Rho
Organizer
