My sister Heidi and family

Corrected Update: Heidi didn't feel good this past week and so this painful journey has begun. Her chemo is every other week. But she goes in every week. They gave her IV fluids and some other help to get her feeling better so she can eat a little and get some fluids. This is a photo of her and her husband Bill celebrating something in years past.

My name is Rosey Gates and together with Heidi's son Brandon, we are fundraising to help Heidi Carston with her medical bills and appointment expenses as well as special foods and supplements that are not covered by insurance. She has insurance at this time, but that does not cover gasoline, food, and special extra needs that cancer and chemotherapy brings to her life. This is her story.

So Cancer Strikes Our Family Again!!!! Our family has a longstanding history of various types of cancers. Heidi is my younger sister and recently handed the devastating news of Stage IV Metastatic Gastric cancer. Heidi doesn’t smoke or drink or have those usual vices many of us have had proving cancer knows no boundaries. She has had signs and symptoms for a couple of years and sought medical help and that system failed her. She was the one who recently pushed for the test that revealed the cancer. Her cancer is inoperable and she started chemo the first week in January 2024. She's been off work and told she will not return. She's miserable of course. She was a school bus driver and loved her job. The children love her too. When they found out about her leaving, the gifts of blankets and slippers, flowers, a little money and more came in to her. The children protested her leaving. That's Heidi and how much they loved her.

Heidi lives a humble life, loves Jehovah and well like many of us, lives paycheck to paycheck. Now that's been abruptly removed from her life. She has been the prime income for her home for most of her life. She has a disabled husband and has been a provider for him. Now her life is re-arranging with new pre-arrangements and many unknowns and she is overwhelmed with the pressure and anxiety of it all.

We are not used to doing gofundme accounts. This is the first. I do hope that those of you who are able and have the heart, will share this story and donate what you can. $5.00 or more is appreciated. I thought I would start with a lower amount and see what happens. Please share our story and together see if we can reach the first goal.

Heidi has a mortgage and car payment. She has applied for some type of disability income, but that will be limited and has not been approved yet.

Thanks everyone. Peace and love to all.

Heidi with her new kitty Charlie in 2019

Granddaughter Aryhia and boyfriend Koll.