I'm Nick's sister, Beth's my sister-in-law. Some of you already know the story but for those of you who don't, please read on:

My brother, Nick and Beth got connected through her cousin, who is married into our family. The two of them started chatting and soon fell in love, and because Beth lived in the Philippines, they started a long-distance relationship in 2020. By January 2024, it was time for her to come to the States so they could finally be together forever. They got legally married once she arrived in January '24 and then had an official wedding with friends and family in September that same year. Later, in late December of '24 Nick fell very ill and passed away by January 8, 2025. This tragedy itself has been incredibly hard to process.

In February 2025, Beth went to the doctor to get a lump in her breast examined and biopsied. The results came back positive for cancer. This was grim and hard to face, but after everything she had been through, she faced it with so much courage.

She went through her chemo treatments last summer to shrink the cancer cells before her mastectomy, had her mastectomy in early September, and is now starting immunotherapy and radiation. We were under the impression that the hardest part was behind us, so she signed up to take classes to start a journey in healthcare.

A couple weeks ago, we received some gut-punching news of a new care plan. In that care plan we learned that she will have to do a lot more chemo. These treatments will last up to a year. This news was heartbreaking. In the midst of receiving this news, she got a call from her employer, who has been so kind and patient through this process, but told her they won't be able to provide her insurance for next year because she didn’t get enough hours to qualify for it. I’ll spare you the details, but this is all to say that the compounding devastation has made for a tough couple of weeks

Beth is currently staying with my dad, David in Canton, Ohio. She stays with him when she has treatment and then stays with a friend about 30 minutes from Canton when she goes to class and work.

We are realizing just how much we are in need of our community right now. Any little bit you can donate is greatly appreciated! This money will help Beth pay for her medical bills. If you are unable to donate but would like to take a meal, send words of encouragement, care packages, your own stories of you or your loved ones battling cancer, personal immigration stories, or even take her to an appointment sometime, any kind of support helps!

As you can imagine, Beth is fragile, sick, anxious, and at times completely overwhelmed, but the hardest part is that she is so far away from all of her friends and family. That alone can feel extremely scary and isolating. We would love to make her feel held and supported here if we can!

If you would like to send or drop something off, please contact me for David’s address.