Help Support My Sister While She Cares for Our Father with Terminal Cancer

Hello friends, family, and anyone else who cares to help,

My name is Caroline, and I’m writing today on behalf of my sister, Ellen-Craig, who has made an enormous sacrifice to care for our father during the most difficult time of his life.

Last summer, our dad was diagnosed with stage 1 pancreatic cancer during an unrelated medical emergency that nearly took his life—but also miraculously led to his diagnosis. Since then, he has undergone multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, enduring months of painful side effects and hospitalizations in the hope of a cure.

In March, our father was scheduled for a complex surgery to remove the cancer and surrounding tissue/organs. At that time we learned that the cancer had spread to his liver. His doctors could no longer offer a cure. They aborted the surgery, did some procedures to help, and transitioned him to palliative care. Despite all of this, our dad made the brave decision to undergo another round of treatment in order to slow down the cancer and give him more time with us—but it was his hardest yet. This last round has taken a toll on his body, and he has struggled to recover.

A few days ago, he was rushed back to the ER struggling to breathe. He was diagnosed with pneumonia, and is now hospitalized again and is currently under his doctor’s care.

Throughout all of this, my sister has been a constant source of strength and love. She traveled to again and again to care for him, manage his home, and advocate for his needs. Several months ago, she left her job and moved to Colorado to care for him.

Generous family friends have provided her with a home, but she has no income and is nearly out of money. My sister has learned though experience with her own auto-immune disorders how to advocate and care for those in a complex medical situation. She has spent the majority of her life researching her own conditions, finding support, and fighting to be diagnosed herself. She had planned to return to Tennessee in August, for her own medical care, but given our father's condition, she has made the heart-wrenching decision to stay and put his needs before her own.

I'm creating this fundraiser to help cover her basic living expenses while she continues this sacred work: being at our father’s side.

Every dollar will go directly toward:

-Groceries and daily needs

-Gas and transportation

-Medical co-pays for her own health

-Emergency and caregiving supplies

-Personal bills while she remains unemployed

Our family is deeply grateful for anything you can offer—whether that’s $10, $100, or simply sharing this page with others. This is a vulnerable moment for us, and we thank you for holding us with compassion.

With love and gratitude,

Caroline Pemberton