Hey Friends!

I'm making this GoFundMe on behalf of our sweet friend, Tabitha Joy Westbury. As many of you already know, for 2 years Tabitha has been battling endometrial cancer, which we thought had only affected her uterine lining, cervix, and lymph nodes. But during her hysterectomy, the surgeon noticed that the cancer had spread to her bladder. Now, instead of focusing on healing or getting back to work and getting on top of the bills that she has, she now has to go to radiation 5x/week for the next month to control the spread. With a more intense chemo session after that to see if we can irradicate it... and on top of that she might still have to have her bladder removed. When it rains, it pours, right?

Mentally, this experience has put her through the wringer. She's trying to keep her head up, but this process has been incredibly lonely. Tabitha has already lost both of her parents, so she only has her husband to support her. If I'm honest, her friends haven't really been showing up either. I don't think anyone realizes how hard it is to be in the hospital when the people you pour your love into don't visit you. She's lost almost 200 lbs throughout this whole process. We've had so many conversations about how she doesn't recognize herself when she looks in the mirror. The dissonance between who she used to be and who she presents as now is crazy. Can you imagine only ever seeing a stranger looking back at you? She's gone through a total transformation because of the cancer.

Physically, she's in so much pain. Many days, it cripples her and keeps her in tears in bed. Witnessing your friend crying from pain and not being able to soothe it or make it better is a hell I hope none of you have to experience (and I'm not even the one in the pain!). She's passing blood clots from her urethra. She's been in and out of the hospital... Honestly I think that she's been in the hospital more in the past 6 months than she's been out. She's got stitches and wounds that need to heal and her right foot is paralyzed from the surgery. She's wearing a boot to walk and even that doesn't prevent her from falling. If you know Tabitha, you know this girl HUSTLES. She's always doing something! When I met her, her schedule was filled with volunteering and working 3 jobs. She doesn't like to sit and wait for others to provide--she sets her goals and works endlessly until she reaches them. She wants to work, she wants to do all the things... but she physically can't. I can't fathom having her go-getter personality and having to just *not do anything* because your body says no.

And, of course, the bills don't stop. She's got a car payment, car insurance, rent, electricity, water, food, gas, medical bills, loans... While her husband can just about cover the necessities, they need both of their incomes to make it every month. If she didn't have to worry every week about whether they can keep their apartment and car then she wouldn't keep pushing her body to exhaustion. MAYBE she could actually focus on healing instead of the many financial stresses of life. This is where I come to you, with hope, for your help. Can you help ease Tabitha's extraordinary burden? I know that we're all going through tough times right now, but anything you can spare will help. Thank you friends!