Michelle is a 37 year-old firefighter for the US Forest Service on the Cleveland National Forest in California.  She was diagnosed with stage 4 of a rare form of cancer called  Angioimmonoblastic T Cell lymphoma in August 2019.  After many procedures and several rounds of chemotherapy, Michelle achieved remission, but in December 2019 doctors determined her cancer had relapsed.

Michelle will begin a new round of chemo called Romidespin on January 20.

What's next?  The cancer must be in complete remission for Phase 2 which is an Allogenic Stem Cell Transplant .  A 10/10 Donor Match has been located, but the transplant is pending full remission .  The transplant will require a 30-day hospital stay followed by at least 4 months of 24/7 care.

Michelle has spent 16 years fighting fires in California and has continued working through all of the chemo treatments so far, however she is unable to work for a minimum of 6 months following the transplant as she must remain in isolation in order for her new immune system to adapt.  There are also many risks associated with the transplant including rejection, infection and GVHD (Graft vs Host Disease).

Michelle's great support team includes her mom (who quit her job to care for Michelle), her girlfriend Andi and of course friends and family.

How can YOU help?  

Many of the procedures and tests were not covered by insurance and expenses are piling up.  The future and exact timeline are uncertain and any donations are greatly appreciated.  Help us reach our goal of $20,000 to help Michelle beat cancer so she can get back to the things she loves: serving the public as a firefighter, riding dirt bikes and mountain bikes, hiking and going to concerts.