Hello there and thank you for visiting our page. My name is Jim Shepherd and I am launching this fundraiser on behalf of my mother and my grandmother who I both care for dearly. My family has faced a series of painful hardships over the past several years, each one compounding the emotional and financial strain we’ve been trying so hard to manage. In July 2025, we lost my grandfather, Dwaine Shepherd, who was a steady, grounding presence and a true source of strength for all of us. His passing has deeply affected us all as well as my grandmother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2023 and now requires increasing levels of care as her condition worsens.

Only two months after the passing of my grandfather, our world was shaken again when my mother — the person who has cared for both of my grandparents with unwavering dedication — was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast and stomach cancer, which has now spread to her lymph nodes and lungs...After years of selflessly putting everyone else first, she is now facing the fight of her life.

As we try to support my mother through her treatment while also ensuring the care and safety my grandmother desperately needs, the financial pressure has become overwhelming. Medical bills, treatment expenses including an upcoming full hysterectomy, and the cost of dementia care are stacking up faster than we can keep up with, leaving us struggling to hold everything together.

This is why I’m humbly asking for help from far and wide. Whether you can donate, share this page, or simply send your thoughts and prayers, every gesture makes a meaningful difference. Every donation helps to lighten the burden and gives us the ability to focus on what matters most: supporting my mom through her battle with cancer and providing my grandmother with the proper and adequate care she deserves.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story. Your kindness, compassion, and generosity, in any form, will not go unnoticed or unappreciated.

Thank you,

Jim Shepherd

A message from my mother, Nicole:

Hi everyone,

The last four years have been incredibly difficult for me and my family. During this time, I experienced the heartbreaking loss of my daughter and my father, and just two months after losing my dad, I was diagnosed with cancer. At the same time, I am also caring for my mother, who is living with Alzheimer’s disease.

As you can imagine, this has taken an emotional and financial toll beyond anything we could have prepared for. Between ongoing cancer treatments, medical bills, medications, daily living expenses, and the responsibility of caregiving, the financial strain has become overwhelming.

My son created this GoFundMe to help relieve some of that burden so I can focus on treatment, healing, and caring for my family. If you are in a position to contribute, your support would mean more than words can express and would truly help us stay afloat during this incredibly challenging time. No amount is too small.

If you’re unable to give, sharing this page and keeping us in your thoughts and prayers is deeply appreciated as well.

Thank you for your kindness, compassion, and support during one of the hardest chapters of my life.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Nicole