My name is Shipra Rai. I’m 26 years old, and until recently, I was living a quiet, hopeful life, working as a clinical research coordinator and dreaming of all the things I wanted to accomplish. I never imagined that 2025 would become the hardest year of my life—a year where a simple doctor’s visit would turn into a fight for my future, my health, and my very existence. When my symptoms began, I honestly thought it would turn out to be IBS-C—something minor and manageable. Instead, I was met with the big “C,” the word cancer—a diagnosis I never thought I’d face at this age.

On April 30th, 2025, my world changed forever. I was diagnosed with stage 3 rectal cancer. At that moment, life as I knew it came to a standstill. I tried to stay brave, to keep working, and to lean on hope. Despite our best efforts, the cancer progressed. The tumor has nearly completely blocked my large intestine at the colo-sigmoid junction and has now invaded my cervix. I have been told my cancer has reached stage 4.

This journey has been relentless. I underwent my first major surgery for a colostomy, which means adapting to daily life with an ostomy bag—one of the many humbling challenges I now face. Right now, I am preparing for a second surgery: my doctors will be transposing my ovary and freezing my eggs in the hope that I might still have the chance to start a family one day. Even as cancer tries to take so much from me, I am holding onto future dreams.

My treatment has included grueling rounds of chemotherapy, which left me exhausted, sick, and emotionally drained. Each day since my diagnosis has tested my patience and courage in ways I never could have imagined. Very soon, I will begin radiation and oral chemotherapy, facing new uncertainties about side effects and what the future holds. The plan is for me to undergo yet another major surgery in January—a complex operation to remove the tumor, perform an ileostomy, and attempt to reverse my colostomy if my body is strong enough.

One thing that nobody talks about enough is the financial burden of cancer. Many of my most urgent procedures—especially those related to fertility preservation—are not covered by my insurance because they’re deemed “not standard of care.” Chemotherapy, multiple surgeries, and radiation treatments are expensive beyond imagination, and the bills keep piling up. Some have already gone to collections. Despite working full-time from home, my salary as a clinical research coordinator simply cannot keep up with the avalanche of expenses, let alone the everyday cost of living.

I have always tried to be independent and strong, but I am now facing realities no one should have to endure. I keep working remotely to maintain a sense of normalcy and dignity, but the weight of these financial pressures is enormous. The fear I carry isn’t just about my health—it’s also about losing access to the care I need and keeping a roof over my head while fighting for my life.

I wouldn’t wish this journey or this kind of vulnerability on anyone. I did not choose this path, but every day, I am making the choice not to give up. That’s why I am reaching out for help—with a humble heart and all the hope I have left. Any support, whether through a donation, kind words, or simply sharing my story, would mean more than I can possibly express. Every dollar raised will go toward my medical bills, treatments, necessary surgeries, fertility preservation, and the mountain of debt I am accumulating just to survive.

Thank you for reading my story, for your compassion, and for standing with me during the hardest moments of my life. I am still young and filled with dreams—I want to beat this disease, to live, to work, to love, and to someday look back at this as something I overcame with the help of my friends, family, and kind-hearted strangers. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for walking beside me in this journey. For anyone who wishes to give directly, here’s my Venmo:

@Shipra-Rai-1

With all my love, hope, and gratitude,

Shipra Rai