We are fighting to stay housed and keep Nana safe as she goes through cancer treatment and sepsis recovery. Any help — sharing or donating — means the world to us.

My family is in crisis, and we need help to stay housed and keep my mom (“Nana”) safe while she fights cancer. After leaving an unhealthy marriage of 20+ years, I started over with Nana and my youngest child — but her health collapsed just weeks after we moved. She became functionally blind, then was diagnosed with aggressive colon cancer, survived major surgery, and is now going through chemo, a recent 9-day hospitalization for sepsis, and IV antibiotics at home. I am doing everything I can as her full-time caregiver while trying to return to work, but we cannot afford rent, utilities, or the daily care she needs. We are terrified of losing our home in the middle of her treatment.

Here is a fuller picture of what the past year has looked like and why we urgently need temporary help.

Our Family Is Struggling — and We Need Help to Stay Housed and Keep Nana Safe

My family has been overwhelmed by one hardship after another this past year, and we are now facing an urgent housing and caregiving crisis. I left an unhealthy marriage after more than two decades and had to start over with my mom (“Nana”) and my youngest child.

Because the home I left only had upstairs bedrooms and no full bathroom downstairs, Nana could not safely live there. She had already broken both ankles in separate falls, and after her 2023 fall down the stairs, she struggled severely with climbing steps. She spent many nights sleeping on a downstairs recliner and often needed help getting up, bathing, or managing basic tasks.

When my ex made it clear she was no longer welcome there — and she physically could not navigate the stairs — we had to move sooner than I would have liked. I had hoped to be more financially secure and have larger reserves before relocating, but circumstances made the move unavoidable.

We found a single-story rental so she could live safely. Nana has lived with me for more than 13 years, and this is where she feels most comfortable.

Nana Has Always Taken Care of Us — Now She Needs Us

Nana has been by my side through every major hardship of my adult life.

When my twins were born two months early and spent five weeks in the NICU, she and my father helped us care for them. After my father passed away, Nana supported me through another high-risk pregnancy.

When my youngest son was born almost four months early at just 1 lb 11.9 oz, she drove me to the NICU every day for three months, then picked up my older boys from school and cared for them until I returned home.

I also went through my own cancer surgery in 2008 and three years of treatment afterward, all while working and supporting my family. During that time, I also suffered a paralyzed vocal cord from my thyroid cancer surgery. Even then, I found creative ways to continue doing my job effectively until my voice returned.

I have survived so many difficult chapters, and I have never asked for help before — only doing so now because a longtime neighbor encouraged me to.

The Move Triggered a Medical Crisis

We moved into our single-story home at the beginning of September 2024. Just when we hoped life might calm down, Nana’s health began to unravel.

Her vision, which had been gradually declining after she hit her head in her 2023 fall, suddenly deteriorated rapidly. By October, she was functionally blind. She could not prepare food, pour a drink, or even see what was in the refrigerator.

Surgery in November restored her sight, but this was only the beginning of a much larger battle.

2025: One Life-Threatening Emergency After Another

In January 2025, she contracted Influenza A and pneumonia. During her hospital stay, doctors discovered an internal slow bleed. Her scheduled shoulder and bicep surgeries (needed from earlier injuries) had to be canceled.

In March, testing revealed aggressive colon cancer.

In May, she underwent major colon cancer removal surgery.

In July, she began chemotherapy every other week — treatment that will continue until July 2026.

In mid-October, she was hospitalized for nine days with sepsis that doctors think was caused by a contaminant entering her chemo port. She is now home on IV antibiotics through November 24.

Home health comes most days right now, but on the days they don’t, I must administer the IV antibiotics myself. Her doses are scheduled for 3 PM — a time I would be at work if the contractor position I may be offered begins before December. After antibiotics end, she will still need daily support with meals, mobility, bathing, and chemo-related exhaustion.

Nana’s Mobility & Daily Living Challenges

Nana’s 2020 personal injury accident left her with:

Her surgeries were postponed due to the cancer diagnosis and cannot occur until treatment ends.

She also has lumbar spine damage affecting her mobility and balance. Some days she becomes unsteady or moves slowly from pain and fatigue.

She often cannot:

During chemo weeks, getting her to eat or drink anything substantial — even protein shakes — is extremely difficult.

She cannot safely be left alone for long periods, which is one of our biggest challenges as I try to return to work.

My Own Health Challenges

While caring for her, I have been recovering from my own medical issues.

I had a hysterectomy on June 19 and was instructed not to lift, bend, or twist for 8 weeks. Because I had no help, I reinjured myself, and my recovery stretched to 16 weeks.

I also have two broken pars bones at L5/S1, causing vertebrae slippage. When inflammation flares, it affects my ability to walk.

Surgery is only about 10% likely to help and requires months of recovery, so I rely on an anti-inflammatory diet and an out-of-pocket core-strengthening program to avoid it — especially because I must stay able to work and care for my family.

Financial Collapse Through No Fault of Our Own

My school psychologist contract ended in June 2024. I applied for dozens of positions throughout the summer and fall. Several districts initially expressed interest and even verbally offered me roles, then abruptly ghosted me.

Months later, I learned that at least one district confused me with another person who shares my maiden name who worked in Special Education like I do— someone who was fired nearly 20 years ago under serious circumstances. This name mix-up caused me to be screened out of at least one opportunity I should have been considered for, but likely more. I am in the process of reaching out to districts to make sure they know I am not her.

I am currently interviewing and may have a contractor position as a School Psychologist soon.

But contractor work only pays for days students are in school. With winter holidays coming, my first paychecks will be reduced and will cover January rent or other urgent needs.

I receive $810 every two weeks in unemployment — less than half of our rent.

Our rent is $3,425 for a modest 3-bedroom, 1-bath rental, plus water, garbage, landscaping, and PG&E.

By September, I could see we would run out of the small savings I had rebuilt after moving. We had to use the remainder of Nana’s very modest 2020 settlement (originally meant for dental implant dentures to replace her missing front teeth) to cover rent, medications, co-pays, and bills.

I also cannot support my 19-year-old twins right now, one of whom is in college. I normally help with tuition, books, and prescriptions, but I simply cannot afford to. My youngest son's shoes are too small, the clothes he keeps at my house are getting too small, and he needs black dress clothes for school band concerts, the first of which is in a couple of weeks.

Where We Stand Now

We were grateful to receive help for December rent from Seasons of Sharing/Holy Family Day and St. Michael’s Church.

But:

How You Can Help

We are asking for short-term bridge support to:

Our need is temporary. Once I begin working consistently and make it through the reduced holiday pay period, we will be able to support ourselves again.

Any help — donations, sharing this fundraiser, or kind words of encouragement — means more to us than I can express.

With gratitude,

Robin W-B

(and Nana & Noah)