Hi, my name is Jessie, and I’m fundraising to help my mom, Sandy, with an unexpected and overwhelming medical need.

My mom is the hardest-working person I know. Like so many mothers, she has spent her life putting everyone else first—often at the expense of her own health. She is generous to a fault, endlessly loving, and the kind of person who would give the shirt off her back to help someone in need. Unfortunately, that selflessness has meant her own needs have gone unmet for far too long.

In the spring of 2025, my mom tripped and fell in a driveway, resulting in a serious injury. She broke several teeth, suffered severe facial lacerations, and had gravel embedded so deeply in her face that pieces are still working their way out even now. The damage to her teeth was significant and has left her in constant pain.

Like so many Americans, my mom is underinsured. She relies on Medicare and works part-time—what she’s able to do while depending on her well-earned Social Security. Unfortunately, her insurance does not cover dentures unless they are part of a covered medical procedure. While her supplemental Medicare will reimburse up to $1,500 for extractions, it does not come close to covering the full cost of dentures.

As a result, my mom is currently living with two abscessed teeth that were broken in the fall. She manages the pain as best she can and tries to stay hopeful that someday she’ll be able to save enough to move forward with treatment. Watching her live with daily pain and discomfort is heartbreaking—and at her age, the risk of infection is genuinely frightening.

If my family and I had the means, we would cover this cost for her without hesitation. But as a family of public educators, this expense is simply beyond our budget. So, like so many families have had to do, I’m reaching out to our community for help.

My brother, her only son, is getting married soon, and like any mother, she is overjoyed. More than anything, I want her to be fully present on that day: comfortable, healthy, and able to smile freely in the photos that will capture one of the happiest moments of her life. She has given so much of herself to her family, and she deserves that joy without pain or self-consciousness.

Any contribution, no matter the size, will go directly toward restoring my mom’s health, comfort, and ability to eat, speak, and smile without pain. This fundraiser is about giving her relief, dignity, and quality of life after a lifetime of putting others first.

I would do anything for my mom. This is one small way I’m trying to take care of her as she gets older. Thank you for reading, sharing, and supporting us in any way you can.

~ Jessie (and Sandy)