Send Lily and Kids on a Healing Trip

Lily Hammond and I first met in middle school, riding horses together at Harkaway Farm in Potomac, Maryland. Over the next decade, we spent countless hours at the barn—teaching kids to ride, shoveling manure, caring for horses, and building memories that still make me smile. Lily has always been one of the kindest, most generous people I know, with a deep love for animals and her friends. Even though we now live in different parts of the country, we’ve stayed in touch through social media and our shared affection for pit bulls.

Last year, my heart broke when I learned that Lily had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She’s since endured months of grueling chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, and radiation and faces even more surgeries ahead. A few weeks ago, she reached out asking for vacation ideas—something to look forward to this summer or fall. She shared that she’s never taken her kids out of the country and wanted to plan a trip to create joyful, healing memories.

We started brainstorming destinations right away, but it quickly became clear that the financial toll of cancer treatments has left little room for travel. That’s when I suggested, with Lily’s permission, that we set up a GoFundMe. While she’s received so much love and moral support online and in person, she hasn’t asked for financial help—until now.

This is a way for her friends, family, and anyone touched by her story to contribute something meaningful: the gift of healing, joy, and togetherness.

If you’ve ever wondered how to help Lily, this is it.

Here is Lily’s story in her own words:

"Last April, I found a lump that changed everything. By May, I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer with lymph node involvement. Since then, my life has been a whirlwind—double mastectomy in August, chemo from September to December, and now I’m finishing five weeks of radiation. But my journey isn’t over yet. I still have another major surgery ahead to remove my ovaries and tubes due to my genetic risk, as well as reconstruction surgery.

This past year has been filled with fear, exhaustion, and countless challenges—not just for me, but for my kids too. They’ve had to watch their mom go through some of the hardest moments of her life. When treatment is finally over, I would love to take a trip that allows us to heal together—to replace some of the fear with joy and create memories that aren’t about cancer. This will be a chance for me to restore my body and spirit, and for my kids to have a break from the stress of the past year.

This GoFundMe is to help make that healing trip possible. Any support means the world to us as we step into life beyond treatment. Thank you for being part of our journey.

Lily"