Support Ria's Fight Against Terminal Cancer

Hi, my name is Carol. I'm raising money for my dear friends Ria & Jimmy. I want to Thank Donna for helping me out by writing Ria's and Jimmy's story. Donna and Tony has been by Ria's and Jimmy's side from the beginning and helping them out it's great to have Family like this you can count on.

Ria has fought the good fight against this horrible disease, along with many other difficulties as a result of it. Her loving husband Jimmy has been devoted to her and by her side every step of the way. Unfortunately, after almost 3 years, the cancer has not stopped ravaging her little body. She lost her job in the beginning because of the side effects of treatment and could no longer work, and her husband was laid off from his job of 25+ years because he needed time to take care of his wife. Ria receives SSI/Disability and her husband does work on cars when he's able to make some money. They have $200.00 or less each month for food and other miscellaneous items of need. This fundraiser is to help them pay their mounting bills (mortgage, electricity, water, car insurance, car payment, phone bill) and for other basic necessities.

Ria is a wonderful wife, mother of 2 daughters and a stepson, and a loving grandmother of 4 grandchildren. Due to COVID-19, she missed a colonoscopy which, ugh, may have saved her life. In late summer of 2022, she was feeling ill and the doctors diagnosed her with Stage 4 colon cancer. In September, they installed a port and started her on chemotherapy. Sometime during the winter, there was a shortage of chemo drugs. Ria had to start taking it in pill form, which didn't seem to be as effective, and Ria had to continue this for a lot longer. I believe it was late in 2023 they stopped chemo to give her a break and did some tests. They thought the cancer was still on her colon but now it had metastasized to her liver as well; she had 4 tumors. Ria was scared but very brave and had faith in her doctor. They sent her to John Hopkins and in the fall of 2023, they performed surgery to remove the cancer and reconstruct her colon and possibly removed 1 or 2 tumors on her liver. Fortunately, the cancer was not to be found on her colon, and they removed all 4 tumors from her liver. All seemed to be going well and we all had high hopes that the cancer was gone! Ria was gaining some weight back and was healing from the surgery. In the winter of 2023, they did some more tests; the liver was healing well and there were no signs of cancer, BUT they found cancer in Ria's lungs, so she had to start chemotherapy again in the winter of 2024. Ria was on chemo all of 2024; the cancer was just not going away. In the winter of 2024, Ria started having excruciating back pain. They did more tests and found out it had metastasized to her spine. They continued the chemotherapy and added radiation and immunotherapy, and Ria was very, very sick from this. They stopped all 3 treatments in March 2025 since Ria was so sick, to give her a break, but the back pain was still so bad. They did give Ria some medicine which finally helped with the pain. Ria went and had more tests done in April 2025, and none of the treatments had worked. The doctor said the cancer was "spreading like wildfire" and was not sure that there was anything else they could do. Ria decided to not continue treatment. Ria wants to be able to spend time with her family, now Ria's condition is terminal. Ria is the bravest, strongest person I know, and even through the pain, Ria doesn't complain but puts on her big beautiful smile! Her husband Jimmy has been so wonderful to her throughout this ordeal, and it is heartbreaking because they were high school sweethearts, but went separate ways for a while, but 22 years ago got back together and were married, now to the love of their lives. Please donate to Ria and Jimmy's fund so they don't have to worry about bills and trying to make money to just get by, so Ria and Jimmy can spend quality time together for the time they have left. Thank you in advance for donating; anything you can donate would be appreciated.