Hello, as most of our friends and family know my mom, Mika, was diagnosed with breast cancer (Type 3 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Stage 2) last year and while it’s been very difficult to process, we’ve been able to cope with a lot of the hardships together and, of course, with my mom’s quick-witted sense of humor. For as long as I can remember, my mom has always helped others. During my childhood, there was never a time that there weren’t extra kids or family in the house. From cousins, uncles, aunts, she always made room-- helping to raise kids, buying prom dresses, and then seeing her mom through cancer. Through it all, my mom was front and center and never backed down from the challenges and hardships she faced. Now, she's facing one of the biggest challenges yet. Next month, she will be undergoing extensive surgeries where we hope she will make a sound recovery while also further preventing any chance of recurrence. Those surgeries include a double mastectomy and a full hysterectomy. According to her doctor, we are expecting a two-month-long recovery process which is where help from friends and family will be urgently needed. Due to the current pandemic, we understand that this year has been hard on everyone. While more and more people are returning to work and more businesses open, my mom hasn’t been able to safely return as our main concern has been navigating around a compromised immune system paired with weekly chemotherapy appointments. Thankfully, we’ve been lucky enough to not have been affected by COVID-19. Through all this, she has also taken care of my younger sister, Rhianna, which leaves her vulnerable to the hardships of this pandemic as well. We’ve been able to handle most of the financial issues on our own but are coming to realize that September will be another obstacle. My mom is a very proud person and she has tried to maintain her bills on her own but she will have drains in place for the 4-8 weeks of recovery and will be immobile. We would greatly appreciate any help during her recovery so we can focus solely on her health. Right now, we are asking for $2500 to go towards rent, utilities, bills, food, and any other expenses for both my mom and my sister. To be able to provide her with the love and support after a lifetime of her doing the same for me is so important. I hope you consider donating, any amount helps! Thank you, Julia