Help Us Care for Our Mom with Cancer

Our names are Paige and Hannah. On March 23, 2023, our world was flipped upside down when our mother was diagnosed with the most aggressive grade 4 brain cancer, glioblastoma. Glioblastoma is considered terminal and carries a dire prognosis of an average life expectancy of 12-15 months. There are very few effective treatment options and not much research or progress has been made for this cancer. Our mom has very privately but fiercely fought this cancer head-on, undergoing three craniotomies (brain surgery), two rounds of brain radiation, chemotherapy, three different intense clinical trials, shunt placement, and now immunotherapy. We have taken her to six different premier hospital systems across the East Coast to save our mom. She has beaten many of the odds, and this month will mark her two-year anniversary since diagnosis, which makes her a long-term survivor in the glioblastoma world.

Since January, she has struggled with significant brain swelling as a result of her treatment, brain necrosis, and tumor regrowth. This swelling has left her with severe right-sided weakness and aphasia (word-finding difficulty). We are trying to combat all of these negative effects on her brain with an immunotherapy medication called Avastin. Currently, our mom needs 24/7 care and help with all aspects of daily living. Along with our 91-year-old grandmother, we trade off providing that care day and night while also working full-time careers in intensive jobs in healthcare. There are many days where we work 10-13 hours, then come home to care for our mom all night, and then get up and go back to work. We love our mom fiercely and will do anything for her, but if we continue at this pace, we will not be able to care for ourselves or even function to care for her. To put it frankly, we are exhausted. We are currently looking for some part-time help from a home health aide 2 days a week and 3 nights a week. Unfortunately, home healthcare is not covered by insurance, and it is very expensive. For just those few days of help, the price tag is around $7,000 a month. My mom is on disability, but her entire disability check goes to her health insurance since she does not qualify for Medicare for another six months. Her medical bills have been significant. If you can find it in your heart (and wallet), any monetary help, no matter how small, to pay for the home health aide would be so greatly appreciated. A home health aide means we can keep our jobs while keeping our mom at home, comfortable, and well cared for.

Thank you for your consideration and support.