Hi everyone, my name is Shelby Steel, and I’m creating this GoFundMe for my little sister, Jo.

Anyone who knows Jo, or has ever come across her online as @artistjodysteel, knows how hard she works and how much of herself she gives to other people. She has built such an incredible online community all over the world through her creativity, work ethic, talent, and heart, always showing up even during the most difficult times of her own.

Now, she is facing one of the hardest moments of her life: a serious brain tumor requiring specialized surgery and treatment.

Since November, her symptoms have rapidly worsened. She started stuttering and having speech difficulty, memory loss, painful muscle spasms, seizures, and episodes that have made her day-to-day functioning nearly impossible without assistance. She can’t even drive to do the things she used to love without someone accompanying her out of fear of having a seizure and driving off the road. I’ve watched her put on a brave face and continue to work her butt off all the while trying to navigate all of these scary things.

But recently, after making her diagnosis public, both she and her partner were let go from their jobs, adding an overwhelming financial burden to an already very scary and devastating situation.

After months of escalating symptoms and countless appointments with neurologists, neuro-oncologists, and neurosurgeons, the diagnosis of her brain tumor has now made urgent brain surgery necessary for her to regain and maintain her quality of life and the ability to function normally.

As her older sister, all I want is to protect her, help her get the best care possible, and make sure she has the chance to heal and live the long life that she deserves.

That being said, short of able to remove the tumor myself (which I wish more than anything I could do), all I can do is help her afford the surgery and treatment she needs. Jo has spent so much of her life being there for others and creating a space where people feel seen, supported, and less alone. Right now, she needs that same support In return.

We are currently trying to raise funds for the urgent brain surgery she needs by the end of July, along with the overwhelming medical, recovery, and living expenses that come with navigating something this life-changing.

If you are able to donate, share this GoFundMe, or engage with and share Jo’s vidoes on her social media platforms @artistjodysteel, it would mean more to our family than we can ever express.

Thank you for taking the time to read this long thing that I wrote for my baby sister (we're 18 months apart but I'm still older) and thank you for helping us stand by Jo during this fight.