As Christmas draws near, many of us are filled with the holiday spirit, making our lists and checking them twice. However, for some, this holiday season is exhausting and represents grief and sadness. One of my best friends, Tina, is facing physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion this year, especially as Christmas approaches. Her son Jayden is 27 years old and has been battling stage 4 astrocytoma, a rare, aggressive, and terminal form of brain cancer, for the last 3.5 years. He has undergone three brain surgeries in hopes of removing the tumors and stopping the cancer from spreading. Unfortunately, scans after his last surgery in October showed that not only was the surgery unsuccessful in removing all traces of cancer, but the cancer has now spread to the rest of his brain. Doctors have given him a year or less to live, depending on whether he chooses to undergo chemotherapy.

This last surgery has left Jayden with significant brain damage, very limited mobility on the right side of his body, and difficulty verbalizing his thoughts. He has also started to have seizures more frequently, with little to no warning. Due to his weakened state, Tina has had to quit her job to care for him around the clock, which has put a huge financial strain on her. This adds even more to her plate as she tries to care for her son. Jayden has chosen to opt out of further chemotherapy, as the harsh medicines would make him even sicker and take away any quality of life he may have left. With this incredibly tough decision, his oncologists give him anywhere from 2-6 months after his surgery on October 24th. After talking with palliative care a couple of weeks ago, Hospice has started coming to the house daily to help ensure the best quality of life for the remainder of his time.

This family already has so much on their plate. Please help relieve their financial burden this holiday season by helping them cover Jayden’s medical bills, living expenses, food, Christmas, and to ensure Jayden’s 6-year-old daughter Ivy is provided for. Any help is greatly appreciated and will relieve some of the burdens they are carrying. Let’s make this a Christmas to remember, so they can focus on making the most of the time they have left together.