Meet Emily!

At just 25 years old, Emily’s life changed forever.

She was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) — an aggressive blood cancer that turned her world upside down. Just two years after losing her mother to cancer. One day she was working full time as a high-school English teacher, training for half marathons, hanging out at the beach with friends, and planning her future. The next, she was in a hospital room fighting for her life.

In the hospital, she developed a severe fungal infection while receiving chemotherapy. Despite every effort from her medical team, the infection spread and ultimately caused permanent blindness.

Three years later she is still bravely battling AML and is actively in chemotherapy. She faces an entirely new challenge: learning how to navigate the world blind while still continuing cancer treatments. This makes daily tasks incredibly difficult as she can no longer drive.

Despite being blind and the uncertainty regarding her future cancer treatments, emily remains incredibly brave, determined, and optimistic.

Right now, she needs a community to rally behind her to help her afford a caregiver, as they are very expensive and her treatment is ongoing. A caregiver would allow her to have more independence and a life outside of cancer treatments. They would be driving her to medical appointments, grocery shopping, and hopefully fun outings like the beach.

Emily is an FSU graduate with a masters in education and formerly a teacher at Pompano High School in Broward County. If you cannot donate, please consider sharing Emily’s story. The more people who hear it, the greater the chance we can give Emily the support she not only needs but greatly deserves.

Thank you for your compassion, generosity, and prayers. ❤️