Help Leah Tate as she Faces Cancer

For those of you that know Leah and her family, you know she is no stranger to adversity. You also know that her strength during trying times is unmatched. Leah's mom passed away in 2009 and only a couple years later, her dad suffered a brain aneurysm, leaving him with medical complications that require full time care from Leah's brother and sister in law, Blake and Jessica. Throughout these difficult life events, Leah has showed her determination, and has been an elementary special education teacher for the past 6 years. Leah teaches in Tacoma where she lives with her girlfriend, Kim, and her two dogs, Jack and Stuart. On 5/4/2018 Leah underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor after experiencing severe headaches. After meeting with her care team at Swedish, she learned that she has brain cancer. The tumor is a grade 4 glioblastoma and Leah will begin radiation and chemotherapy over the next couple weeks. Leah is caring, determined, and has an infectious energy for life. She has already shown so much strength and resilience during this process and we want to continue to support her in every way possible. Leah and her family have been extremely grateful for the outpouring of love and support from their community. It hasn't gone unnoticed, and it has kept Leah hopeful and in good spirits. We want to continue to surround Leah with all of the support she needs. If you are able, we would love any financial support to help Leah through this process. Leah and Kim will be taking time off work to focus on treatment and the day to day care Leah needs. Estimating the costs of cancer care is extremely difficult. Costs vary greatly depending on where treatment is provided, the type of treatment, and the doctors or specialists involved. Leah is fortunate to have medical insurance, however depending on what the insurance covers, cancer care can still cost thousands of dollars. We are starting the goal at $25,000 and will update that goal as we learn more about her treatment plan and what all she needs. Any amount is greatly appreciated, as well as the continuous love and support from all of you! We will continue to provide updates throughout this journey.