Please Help My Sister and Niece With Health Issues

Hello, my name is Kathy (Connell) Holland. I am the sister of Judy Connell and Auntie to her daughter, Mya Connell. Judy and I have been the best of friends since childhood. I've been urged by family and friends to start a "Gofundme" for them. Judy has been a good friend to so many and selfless when it comes to helping others.

As a young woman, Judy wasn't able to conceive. Being given the opportunity to adopt Mya, there wasn't a moment of hesitation. As many people who know Judy and Mya, know their story of true and unconditional love. After the death of her father (our nephew, Michael) and her grandmother (Val), Judy was given guardianship as a 53 year old, single, working woman and legally adopted Mya in 2014 when Mya was 1-1/2 years old. Then, in 2019, Mya's favorite guy, her Papa (Terry) passed away due to complications of lung cancer. Yet another loss for our family and Mya.

Judy is retired, but works at Liberty Elementary as the lunch room supervisor and as a clerical worker at Augustana Lutheran Church in Hobart, Indiana, which she and Mya attend. However, since November of 2023, Judy has been hospitalized several times and has recently been unable to work.

Judy was diagnosed with early stage lung cancer in 2022. She received radiation treatments and was told she was in remission.

In 2023, during a routine follow-up, Judy was once again diagnosed with Metastatic Non Small Cell Adenocarcinoma. To our astonishment, it was now stage 4, having matastisized to her adrenal gland and lymph nodes. They began her chemotherapy treatment. Shortly after her first treatment, Judy began having difficulty eating, drinking and even breathing. The doctors ordered more scans and found that the tumor in the lung, was pressing on her esophagus and causing a narrowing of her esophagus. "At this point she was told that she would need to undergo fifteen (15) radiation treatments to shrink the tumor. After several radiation treatments, Judy was told she was experiencing what is known as a "sunburn" and the interior of her esophagus was severely inflamed. Judy then began to retain fluid. Now she has developed multiple blood clots in her legs and lungs. Also developing an aortic pseudoaneurysm. She was hospitalized once again in January at the University of Chicago. She was discharged this past Sunday. They've now been able to resume her chemotherapy.

When Mya was young, she was diagnosed with a complete heart block and told that eventually she would need a pacemaker. Mya is now 12 years old and a straight A student at Hobart Middle School. Recently, in the midst of Judy's cancer treatment, Mya's cardiologist from Childrens Advocate Hospital in Chicago, informed Judy that it is time for Mya to have the pacemaker implanted.

Your kindness and generousity would help Judy and Mya with numerous expenses. Such as medical bills, everyday essentials, travel expenses to and from hospitals, and many other expenses, as you can imagine they will encounter. Our family thanks you inadvance for your consideration, donation and prayers for both Judy and Mya.