Hi everyone,

My name is Adam, and I’m writing this on behalf of my fiancé, Kayleigh, the strongest, most determined person I know.

We’ve been together for nearly 11 years, building a life we’re proud of. A few years ago, we made the move from Ontario to Vancouver, far from family, to grow our careers and create a home where we felt happy, connected, and inspired. What we didn’t know then is just how much we’d come to rely on the community we’ve built here.

Earlier in May of this year, Kayleigh was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer. Her symptoms started in October 2024, and she didn’t wait before booking a doctor's appointment about her situation. From the very beginning, Kayleigh has advocated relentlessly for herself. When her symptoms were dismissed as hemorrhoids by three different doctors, she pushed to be seen, insisting on answers and ensuring she received the care she needed, and she knew her body best. This determination has been a guiding force throughout her journey.

Since then, it’s been a whirlwind of scans, biopsies, tests, and treatment plans. She is currently undergoing IV and oral chemotherapy, followed by chemoradiation, and then more IV and oral chemotherapy before moving on to surgery. This is called Total Neoadjuvant Therapy (TNT), one of the most aggressive treatment approaches available, designed to give her the best possible chance at a cure. Recent imaging also showed a single nodule in her right lung that doctors are confident is metastatic. While this makes the journey more complex, the fact that it hasn’t spread to her lymph nodes in her lungs or any other organs means she’s considered oligometastatic — the best-case scenario within stage 4, and her doctors are pursuing treatment with aggressive curative intent.

This road isn’t easy. In the new year, Kayleigh will face two major surgeries back-to-back: a low anterior resection (LAR) in January to remove the primary tumor, followed closely by a full lobectomy in February to remove the affected right lobe of her lung. These are life-altering procedures with long recoveries, but Kayleigh is facing them with her usual quiet courage.

This is all especially hard to accept because she’s always done everything right. She stayed active by running and working out, ate healthy, and truly prioritized her health. It doesn’t make sense, and yet here we are, facing cancer in our early 30s.

Right now, Kayleigh isn’t able to work, and I’ve taken a pay cut to move into a role that allows me to be there for her full-time. On top of regular living expenses, there are uncovered medical costs, transportation, dietary needs, supplements, and additional therapies we’re pursuing, like electro-hyperthermia, a promising treatment being studied in Europe and Asia that could significantly improve her outcomes but isn’t covered in Canada.

What keeps us going is the thought of April 25th, 2026, our wedding day. More than rings or a celebration, it’s become a symbol of everything we’re fighting for: love, resilience, and the life we’ve built together. Holding onto that day gives us hope, and every day toward it feels like a victory.

Even while undergoing intensive chemo and chemoradiation, on days Kayleigh feels well she keeps up her running, yoga, strength training, and meditation to ensure she gives herself the best possible chance at beating this. She approaches each day with determination, humour, and focus, proving that cancer cannot stop her spirit or the fight in her. Her love for life, from her friends and family, our two furbabies, and her commitment to arming herself with knowledge and nurturing her health — keeps her going, and your support helps her keep moving forward.

Kayleigh has always been a fiercely loyal friend who would move mountains for the people she loves. Now it’s our turn to show up for her. This fundraiser is about ensuring Kayleigh can access the care she needs and have the peace of mind to focus fully on healing and recovery, so she can reclaim her health, her energy, and her life.

From the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank you for your compassion, support, and generosity. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps Kayleigh focus on healing, and every share spreads awareness and hope. Your kindness means more than words can express.

With love and gratitude,

Adam