Help Single mom keep Home after Cancer diagnosis

Hello friends, family, acquaintances, and strangers alike,

My name is Melody Dowding and I come to you today as a last resort. I am not one to ever ask for anything from anyone, and even though this really hurts my pride, at this time I’m not really sure what else to do.

In June of 2023 I was diagnosed with a rare aggressive gynaecological cancer, (Vulvar cancer) stage 3. I’m a single parent who’s always worked really hard my whole life to solely provide for myself and my 2 children. I worked 2 jobs (as a branch manager in the daytime and server at night) working 50-60+ hrs per week and always did well, until my symptoms would no longer allow me to continue. I was in extreme pain and unable to sleep at night due to the pain and discomfort. My surgery helped that, but now I am dealing with symptoms from my chemotherapy and radiation treatments that make it impossible to work right now.

Unfortunatly, I have been off work since mid July and bills are piling up. In August I had surgery to remove the cancer and had a full lymph node removal. Following my surgery I had severe complications (2 rare super infections, pseudomonas and a rare strain of staph areaus that almost took my life) and landed me in the hospital for 10 days and upon discharge a picc line was inserted for me to receive IV antibiotics from home along with my surgical drains. Just when I thought the nightmare was over, I received my pathology report stating I had another tumor and spread in my lymphnodes and I am currently receiving weekly chemotherapy and 35 daily radiation treatments. This has left me unable to work and barely able to provide the basics and keep up with our monthly rent and bill payments. Unfortunately, at the very earliest I won’t be able to return to work until springtime, and this is based on if the treatments work and side effects of treatment subside by that time. Because this is a rare cancer, treatment options are limited and it’s hard to know what the outcome will be.

I come to you today asking for help since I have since fallen behind in our rent and monthly bills, and instead of focusing my healing I lay in bed every night night stressed about loosing everything I worked so hard for and I just couldn’t take my daughter loosing her own bedroom and our home because I’m unable to provide for us right now.

Any funds raised would go to catching up on rent and bills and at least eliminating a little bit of stress which would allow me to get through my treatments and keep a roof over our heads. Any help at all would be so greatly valued and appreciated and I promise on everything to give back and help others wherever I can once I am again able. Any little bit helps. And if you are unable even a quick share would be appreciated.

Thank you so very, very much.