Monica Barrios needs our help!

Monica Needs Our Help!

If you know Monica, you know she’s the friend who shows up. Always. She’s the hard-working, never-complaining, carry-that-heavy-camera-case-like-a-boss kind of woman. But now, Monica needs our help.

Recently, Monica was unexpectedly diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. It came out of nowhere. She thought she had COVID or pneumonia — just a lingering shortness of breath. But after a few tests, she got a diagnosis that changed everything: she had Ovarian Cancer and it was spreading.

Monica dove headfirst into treatment — as only she would. She powered through chemo, got her blood markers down, and then faced a major surgery. It was worse than the doctors anticipated. Ten grueling hours, two surgeons, and pieces of nearly every organ removed. But Monica? She’s recovering like a champ — faster and stronger than anyone expected. She still has to go thru a few more rounds of chemo to eradicate all the remaining cancer.

Thankfully, her insurance covered most of the medical expenses. But here's where she needs us: Monica won’t be able to work for a while, and her short-term disability doesn’t kick in until late August. She’s getting by on a small union pension for now, but it doesn’t come close to covering the basics. She’s burning through her savings just to stay afloat.

We’ve started this GoFundMe to cover approximately 6 months of Monica’s essential living expenses, including:

Mortgage payments

Utility bills

Food

Car payment and insurance

This is our chance to give back to someone who has given so much — to friends, coworkers, and our community — without ever asking for anything in return.

The film industry is slow right now, and Monica was hesitant to ask for help, knowing how many others are struggling too. But even a small donation would mean the world. Let’s show her that SHE’S NOT ALONE —NOT NOW, NOT EVER.

Thank you for anything you can give — and for being part of MONICA’S SUPPORT CREW.