Hi! My name is Holly and I am fundraising for my baby cousin, Cassie, who lives in Trinidad.

Cassie has always puts others ahead of herself and, as a nurse, has dedicated her life to helping others. Now she's the one who needs help.

Ten years ago, only in her late 20s, Cassie found out she had a nodule growing inside her thyroid. It remained relatively small.

In the last year, however, Cassie noticed her health deteriorating – she was having dizzy spells and was still exhausted after sleeping for even 10 hours – and the most telling of all, the nodule was growing exponentially, and was now protruding out of her neck.

Cassie had several biopsies, the results of which all returned as non-cancerous. However, with the nodule pressing against her windpipe and impeding her ability to breathe, Cassie had surgery to remove it in December 2024.

The nodule, and her right thyroid, were all removed. The nodule was the size of an adult's palm, and after being biopsied, was found to have a small carcinoma in it.

The safest course of action was to remove the left thyroid as well, so a month after the first surgery, and not having yet fully recovered from it, Cassie had her left thyroid removed. This one was also found to have a carcinoma.

With cancer cells found on both sides, Cassie started seeing an oncology team.

It was suggested that Cassie undergo an ionizing radiation scan, which is imaging of the body’s tissues and organs. The scan cost $20,000 Trinidad & Tobago dollars (TTD), just over $4,000 Canadian dollars (CAD), and Cassie’s partner used his savings to pay for it.

It was a good thing she did the scan, because it identified cancer in two additional spots in Cassie’s neck.

Her oncology team have recommended a treatment of radioactive iodine ablation, which takes the form of tablets that, when swallowed, burns away remnants of the cancer cells.

The treatment costs $60,000 TT dollars (approx. $10,000 CDN), which is why I’m fundraising on Cassie’s behalf.

Unfortunately, cancer isn’t new to our family. Cassie’s father (my uncle), Franklin (affectionately nicknamed “Boyie”), passed away in January 2011 from cancer.

Cassie was only 23, and that experience fueled her desire to help others. A year later, as a young single mom, Cassie put herself through nursing school.

We would be so grateful for anything you can give to help my incredible cousin. Thank you for your time.