I’ve been struggling to find the right words to write this, but I don’t think it’s possible for me to ever find them. This fundraiser is for the most important person in my life—my mom, Evija, who was recently diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer (adenocarcinoma).

The past one and a half years have been a relentless cycle of medical errors, misdiagnoses, and systemic failures in our healthcare system. After countless consultations, hospital stays, incorrect treatments, and waves of hopelessness, anger, and guilt, we’ve been handed this diagnosis—cruelly late, if there’s ever a "right" time for it.

We have so much yet to figure out, but one thing is for sure: my mom deserves to, for once, focus on herself and be able to live life stress-free—from medical and living expenses and everyday burdens. As the Latvian government doesn’t provide enough funding to cancer patients to survive, let alone live, we must turn to any other options we can find right now.

It is hard to ask for such help as this, but we cannot manage everything on our own—there is no other way.

Those friends of mine who have met Evija know how wonderful of a person she is—strong, full of joy and kindness, and life. It’s devastating to see life betray the kindest of people. Yet, all we can do is keep pushing.

I am eternally grateful to anyone who has spare funds to donate and just as thankful to everyone else who can express their support through prayers and good thoughts. There’s nothing more I could ever ask for.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.