Aloha, my name is Pohaikealoha Tuiloma.

First, I just want to say thank you for being here. I appreciate you making space and time to hear my story.

In 2021, I was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. By random chance, after playing with my daughter one day, I happened to find a lump on my breast. A month after discovering it, I was finally able to see my doctor. From that moment on, everything was a blur. I spent months undergoing multiple biopsies, ultrasounds, scans, blood work, and testing before deciding on surgically removing the cancer with a double mastectomy. Even after my mastectomy, I underwent multiple reconstructive surgeries.

The end of 2021 and all of 2022, our lives were consumed by my cancer journey. Cancer took a toll on our finances, our families, our kids, and our marriage. So when I was told, "You are cancer-free!" I was so happy to finally put this journey behind me, minus the ongoing hormone therapy and annual scans.

Fast forward to earlier this year, while spending the weekend with family. Once again, I happened upon not one but two lumps on my left breast. In disbelief, I even asked my husband to feel them to make sure it wasn’t just me, it wasn’t just in my head. He could feel them as well. A month later, I was able to see a doctor and was scheduled for an ultrasound. The ultrasound confirmed the lumps, and a week later, I returned for a triple biopsy because the ultrasound had found a third lump. A week after that…the news anyone that battled cancer doesn’t want to get… "It’s cancer again, I’m sorry."

My entire care team was in disbelief. Only 3 years and a recurrence. The plan was once again to undergo surgery to remove the cancer. It was the after-surgery that everyone was trying to figure out what to do. Do we do chemotherapy and radiation? Months of doctor visits, sometimes 3-5 a week, filled with blood work, X-rays, scans, and testing; it was all overwhelming. When I got my diagnosis, I had just been offered a new CDL driving job; that all slipped away with this diagnosis, and once again, the burden weighed heavily on my husband. We sat in limbo as my care team tried to decide on a course of action, but we wouldn’t know until my surgery and we were able to get a pathology report and an Onco test done. Well, by now you know what path lay ahead. After surgery was a success and we got clear margins on all three sites, they took my case in front of a cancer board of doctors to discuss treatment. All of the oncologists, radiologists, and pathologists present agreed that chemotherapy and radiation would be needed because although my type of cancer seems normal, it wasn’t acting normal for its type at all. It was acting very aggressively…so we needed to do the same.

My treatment plan would include 4 cycles of chemotherapy, 30 rounds of radiation, followed by immunotherapy.

What the donations will support

This GoFundMe was created to help ease the financial burden of the recurrence of my breast cancer and its treatment. Donations will help cover:

Why I’m Asking

For your support—whether it’s through prayer, financial giving, or your encouragement—we simply appreciate you more than we could ever put into words. Any means of your support during this time allows us to maintain stability for our Ohana so we can focus on my treatment and healing.

We understand that not everyone is in the position to give financially, so we humbly ask for your prayers during this time because it’s what has gotten us this far, and if you could share this page.

Our Gratitude

We have seen God have His way once before, and we don’t doubt He’ll do it again. I’m leaving every appointment, every cycle, and all the unknowns on this journey in His hands. This cancer journey has been anything but easy, and I’m so grateful for each and every person who has stood in the gap for me and my family. Thank you from the bottom of my heart…I see you and I appreciate you soooooo much!!

Thank you for your time, thank you for reading my story, and thank you for your support!

With so much love,

Pohai & Ohana