I’m Destini Ellis and my mom is Cheryl Ellis. She has always been one of the strongest, most selfless people I know. At 55 years old, after facing some of the hardest challenges of her life, she decided to go back to school and become a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN).

Just a few years ago, everything seemed to hit at once. She fell and broke her femur, which caused her to lose her job. Not long after, her best friend—her rock—passed away from ovarian cancer. Watching her best friend go through hospice care and not receive the comfort and help she truly needed left a deep mark on my mom. That’s when she decided to dedicate her life to helping others by becoming a nurse.

She worked incredibly hard, went back to school, and earned her LVN license. Today, she’s working as a nurse and finally able to do what she feels called to do: care for people. But despite her dedication, she’s still struggling. Her income isn’t enough to cover all of her bills and student loans, and she’s been living paycheck to paycheck.

I’ve been searching for a job to help contribute, but until then, I want to do whatever I can to support her. My mom doesn’t ask for much—she only wants to be able to pay her bills and breathe a little easier after everything she’s been through.

If you’re able to help, no matter how small the amount, it would mean the world to us. Your generosity would give her some relief as she continues doing what she set out to do: helping others through nursing.

Thank you for taking the time to read her story and for any support you can offer. Even sharing this page helps more than you know.