I've been diagnosed with stage 4 inoperable lung cancer, and it's been a whirlwind of challenges for me and my family. Just four years ago, we lost Michael to cancer after he bravely made it through COVID and a major heart attack just a month before his diagnosis. We were finally starting to get back on our feet financially when I received my own diagnosis. To make things even harder, the very same day I found out I have cancer, my father was admitted to the ICU and passed away just four days later. The emotional and financial toll has been overwhelming, and it feels like the rug has been pulled out from under us again.

I'm starting treatment and don't know how long I'll be able to work while doing so. I need to be able to keep my insurance and pay for treatment and living expenses when I'm out on FMLA. FMLA keeps my job secure, but it doesn't provide any pay, so there will be no income to cover my insurance premium or the mounting medical costs. The medical bills are already overwhelming, and I will be traveling back and forth to Duke for treatment. The expenses are adding up quickly, and it's hard to see a way forward without help.

If you know me, you know I hate to ask for help and hate to be sidelined. I'm usually the one that helps everyone else and keeps pushing along no matter what. In my mind, I keep thinking I can do all these treatments, keep working, and keep everything afloat, but the reality is my job is physically demanding and without the community's help I won't be able to make it. Your support would mean the world to me right now, and any help you can give will make a real difference in my fight against cancer. Thank you for standing with me during this difficult time.