Hi! I'm Bethan Maher, the Executive Director of the nonprofit organization, Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad.

We’re starting a fundraiser for our part-time employee, Bri.

Bri is 31 and has been working with us since February 2024. She’s been here through a lot of genuinely unusual, weird, very “railroad” moments over the past two years and has stuck with us through all of it with kindness and humor.

A few weeks ago, Bri was diagnosed with breast cancer.

The first diagnosis was something called DCIS. In simple terms, abnormal cancer cells were found in one localized area and appeared to be contained.

After additional biopsies, the news became more complicated. The results showed that it isn’t only DCIS, but there is also an invasive component, meaning some of the cancer has moved beyond that original contained area.

She is having surgery tomorrow. Based on those findings, she is likely facing chemotherapy and/or radiation afterward.

Bri, Brad, and their 4-year-old daughter Neah just bought a home. They are steady, incredibly kind, capable people. Their response has been, “We have health insurance, we’re okay.” They haven’t wanted to ask for help. But insurance doesn’t cover missed work, the delay before FMLA kicks in, mortgage payments, and additional expenses.

We’d like to step in early and make this period less overwhelming.

Our goal is to help cover one or two months of their mortgage and assist with meals and practical “extras,” childcare, house cleaning, or whatever makes day-to-day life easier while Bri focuses on surgery and the next phase of treatment.

For our railfan friends, Bri is nerdy like us, just a different genre. She’s logged hundreds of hours in Baldur’s Gate 3. Her top artist last year was Borislav Slavov (yes, specifically the BG3 soundtrack). She’s even been tracking down piano arrangements of the score and teaching them to herself. If you’ve ever needed a party member who’s loyal, strategic, and in it for the long haul, that’s Bri. Unfortunately, this is a much less fun boss fight.

We have our own major fundraising planned for April or May (it’ll be big, we promise) but right now, we want to give them some immediate support.

If you’re able to help, thank you. If not, please keep Bri and her family in your thoughts.