My name is Doanie Frederick, and I have been dealing with Stage 4 colon cancer for the last 3 years. It's been an adventure, sometimes very hard but with more blessings than I could have ever imagined. But it looks like I am nearing the end of this journey.

I've already significantly lived past the original expectations, but at this point, we're running low on treatment options, and it's time to start focusing on what is most important to have happen in the next 6-12 months and not assume I have longer than that (Although I may! This last treatment might work out great . But at this point, it's not looking very likely.)

I need to start planning how to wrap up the rest of my life well. And this is where I'm asking for help. Fourteen years ago, after a spectacular trip with the girls to Disneyland, Duane and I promised them that someday we would take them on a Disney cruise. But you know how it goes. We would save and be getting close, and then the car would break, or the company Duane worked for closed, or any of a host of other little things would just add up. But it was OK because we still had time.

But as I've been getting more tired and the pain is kicking up, we finally decided that we were just going to make it happen this summer. We'd save like crazy, use the whole tax refund, do whatever it takes. And then 3 days later, we learned that I might not have a "this summer."

When I explained to my oncologist why we wanted to go on this cruise, he wasn't thrilled, but we came up with a compromise: I can go IF we go over spring break (March 7-15) or even sooner, IF I get travel insurance, emergency medical insurance, and medi-vac insurance, IF we will fly to Florida instead of driving, and IF I'm willing to cancel if it starts looking like a really bad idea, then he would ok it.

The problem is, I can't save that much money that fast. The insurance alone is expensive. Add in plane tickets, short notice cruise tickets, and other cruise expenses, and it's just not possible

So after talking it over with some friends, they convinced me to set up a GoFundMe. This is a difficult thing for me to ask. I'm sure many of you have dream vacations too, why should mine be special?

But I was reminded by friends (and quite forcefully by two of my oncology nurses lol) that I'm not really asking for a vacation. I'm asking for one last chance to make amazing memories with my daughters and husband, to keep a promise I made fourteen years ago, to have what very well could be our last chance to do something special just the four of us together. And that IS worth asking for help with.

So if you are able to help us make these last memories, know that we are all so grateful.

Oh, and if I have to cancel because I get too sick too fast, we will postpone it, and Duane and the girls will go together after I'm gone, to have time to grieve together and to start their life as a family of three. Obviously NOT what we are hoping for, but that's the backup plan. But either way, the money will be used for memories and connecting and Disney .