Well, it happened.

I am writing this update with a heavy heart to share news we were hoping to avoid.

Unfortunately, due to the progression of her cancer, my mom has officially been forced to take disability leave.

She has fought to keep things normal for as long as possible, but her body simply cannot keep up with the demands of work while fighting this aggressive disease.

While this is necessary for her health, it brings a terrifying financial reality.

The Immediate Crisis:

We are now facing a critical gap. For the next 15 days, while we wait for the disability paperwork to be approved, she will not receive a paycheck. She will have zero income during this transition.

The Long Term:

Even once the disability kicks in, she will only be receiving a portion of her usual pay. Right now, the doctors have placed her on leave until April, but given the prognosis, we have been told this could be a lifetime change.

We are entering a new chapter of this fight. The loss of her full income, combined with the gap we are in right now, makes every donation to this GoFundMe absolutely vital. We need to bridge this 15-day gap to keep the lights on and the bills paid so she doesn't have to spend her energy worrying about money.

If you can donate, or even just share this link, you are helping us keep her safe during this incredibly vulnerable transition.

Thank you for standing by her in this journey!

F#ck Cancer!

ORIGINAL

I'm Michael Cade, and I'm creating this fundraiser for my mom, Gina Rhoda. She is a warrior, and the last person who would ever ask for help for herself.

At 56 years old, my mom is at the heart of our family. She's a mother to four, a doting grandmother to twelve, and is about to celebrate her 17th wedding anniversary with her husband this Halloween! She is one of the most driven people I know. Beyond building a family and dealing with all the trials and tribulations that come with that, she earned degrees in Sociology and Psychology and was just four classes away from completing her Master's degree. For the last seven years, she has been thriving in what she calls her "favorite job ever" as a Marketing Company President for U-Haul where she lives.

Her life took an unexpected turn in April 2025 when she was diagnosed with Stage 3A Metastatic Adenocarcinoma Lung Cancer. After a difficult first round of treatment that spanned nearly two months of intensive chemotherapy and radiation, her fight continued with two separate, week-long hospital stays for pneumonia in July and August.

So, when we were finally told in early September that she was in remission, the entire family was overjoyed. That relief was shattered less than a week later. After her amazing colleagues at U-Haul noticed she was exhibiting some stroke-like symptoms, they urged her to get checked out and we received the devastating news: it wasn't a stroke. The cancer had spread, causing lesions on her brain.

True to her nature, my mom is facing this new, intensive battle with incredible grit, continuing to work through a grueling schedule of chemo, radiation, and immunotherapy. She is the primary provider for her household, as her husband has been on disability and unable to work since a construction accident in 2013 where he fell out of a two-story window.

As her children—myself, my twin brother Mitchell, my older brother PJ, and my sister Brittany—we support her how we can, but we're also no longer living close together. There are many miles and many hours between us all. Simply put though, the daily financial and physical weight rests on her. This new phase of her fight requires a level of rest that her responsibilities simply don't allow for.

This GoFundMe is to give my mom the ability to focus solely on her health without the immense stress of financial worry. It's to give her a little space to breathe so she can be there for all the grandkids she loves so damn much. We want to help her win this fight so she can get back to her family, the job she loves, and maybe even finish that Master's degree she worked so hard for.

All funds will go directly toward:

Medical expenses not covered by insurance.

Offsetting lost income when she is unable to work.

Ensuring household bills are covered during treatment.

Any support you can offer, whether through a donation or by sharing this page, will make a profound difference. Thank you so much for taking the time to learn about the incredible woman I am so proud to call my mother!

With deepest gratitude,

Michael Cade