I’ve worked with Cora since 2017 at a veterinary hospital in Oakland. During that time, Cora trained me as a receptionist, but we quickly grew to become friends. I was drawn to her humor and laughter, positivity, and the empathy and care she showed for our patients and their people.

Just a little over a year after meeting Cora, she was diagnosed with breast cancer at just 31 years old. She was unable to work and underwent the difficult process of receiving chemo and radiation. Fortunately, her cancer went into remission and she rejoined the team in 2019.

Everyone was ecstatic to have Cora back at our vet hospital (coworkers and clients alike)! But at the beginning of 2020, just as COVID began to cause lockdowns, Cora found out that her cancer had returned and had begun to spread.

Chemo and radiation treatments have not been able to keep her cancer at bay this time, and she has struggled to balance her health while taking care of her young, school-age daughter. She has been unable to work, and her cancer has not responded to treatments. Despite the gravity of her situation, Cora remains upbeat. She is a real fighter!

Recently, Cora has had emergency surgeries to fight the aftermath of her cancer’s spread, including a recent fight against sepsis. This, and liver failure, among other health issues, resulted in a 9-day hospitalization stay. Cora is now unable to continue to care for her beloved puppy Nyla and has had to look for a new home for her. Her family is heartbroken. Cora has been on oxygen and is unable to walk even short distances. At this point, I realized that she needed additional community support.

I’m asking our community to donate toward helping Cora with expenses associated with holistic treatments to help keep Cora comfortable as she continues to fight, all while supporting her young daughter. She has been a pillar of leadership at The Grand Lake Veterinary Hospital and a driving force behind our positive crew when she was able to be here with us. Cora has been through excruciating mental and physical pain in the wake of her radiation and chemo treatments. But, as a mother, Cora has had to stay strong for her daughter and continue to support her despite her ailments. My goal is to help Cora and her daughter so that paying for treatments is one less thing they have to worry about. Any contributions will support her in getting treatments and will assist with living expenses to care for her family as she is still unable to work.