My name is Gwen Batchelor.

I am a mother, a wife, a business owner, and someone who loves deeply. I am also someone who has walked alongside cancer before, loving a son who passed so quickly and learning firsthand how fragile and sacred life really is. Grief has a way of settling into your bones. It does not leave, but it teaches you to notice when love is asking for care.

That is why I am here.

I created this GoFundMe for someone I trust with my whole heart. She is a close friend, a board member of our nonprofit since 2020, and one of the most compassionate therapists I know. She has dedicated her life to supporting mothers and children in the special needs community, often taking on the hardest cases and the families with nowhere else to turn. She gives without fanfare, without recognition, simply because she cares.

Recently, she was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer.

In the weeks ahead, she will undergo a double mastectomy, followed by chemotherapy and a long recovery. During this time, she will be unable to work for approximately six months. Her family will lose their primary source of income, while medical and caregiving needs increase.

She is scared, and that makes sense.

She is scared for her health, for her daughter, for her husband, and for how they will survive financially while she fights for her life. She does not have much extended family to lean on. What she does have is a community she has poured herself into for years, and now it is our turn to show up for her.

This fundraiser exists so she can focus on healing instead of worrying about bills. So her family can have meals without stress. So her daughter can have support and routine while her mom recovers. So love, not fear, can carry them through this season.

I am asking for help because I know what it costs to walk this road alone and because I believe that when we come together, healing becomes a shared act.

If you are able to give, thank you.

If you are able to share, thank you.

If all you can do is hold this family in your heart, that matters too.

This is love, made practical.

Gwen

My total goal for them would be for us to reach $60,000. Enough to cover her monthly salary, extra medical expenses and medication that will now be needed, and money for care for Lily when her Mom and Dad will need to focus on Steph's healing. Please give, as much as you can. We will also be creating a meal train for when she has the surgery, and a sign up for respite care for Lily if anyone wants to give of their time. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to me.