Help Jennifer Tackle Cancer

My name is Gloria Sullivan. I am writing this on behalf of my daughter, Jennifer Sullivan. She is the single mother of three girls. She likes to call them her litter of little ladies. The identical twins are six, almost seven; the baby is five. In July, Jennifer received the news that no one ever wants to hear, especially a single parent. You have breast cancer. Jennifer needs financial assistance these next several months so that she can have the time to be treated for cancer while maintaining the home environment as normal as possible for her daughters. She is two months behind on her mortgage.

Jennifer had not been feeling well for five or six months when she found a lump in her right breast. Being 42-years-old, she immediately set up an appointment for a mammogram. She had a mammogram and ultrasound on July 10th. She was immediately asked several times, “How long have you known about this lump?”

Following the mammogram she was asked to sit in a tiny room with leather chairs, an area rug, and a television. She was met by the radiologist who said she was very concerned and asked Jennifer to meet with the breast cancer/surgeon oncologist that very day.

Jennifer asked the doctor for numbers, but was shocked when she said that there was about a 90% probability that we were looking at cancer. A biopsy was done that same day as well.

It was July 15th when Jennifer received the dreaded call, confirming breast cancer. She and the girls were visiting family in Kansas. I have never cried so much as I did in those two weeks that my daughter and granddaughters were states away.  

They returned to Ohio on July 31st and the next few days were full of appointments: MRI, genetic testing, a chest X-Ray, and lots of blood work. The next couple of weeks the plan was devised. Jennifer had a rather large tumor which, based on size, made it stage two. The cancer was grade three, estrogen and progesterone positive. The genetics test came back with no cancer markers which made us ecstatic, especially concerning my granddaughters.

Things seemed to fall in place. Jennifer had a mission. Beat cancer. She would have a lumpectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy on the 30th of August. I did enough worrying for the both of us. Jennifer’s faith is almost contagious. She said she trusts God 100% and so we marched on to surgery. Jen even asked to pray with the surgeon.



The surgery went well. Jennifer recovered quickly with the help of loved ones. She has so many friends. She received flowers. The church set up a meal train. We are so grateful for the outpouring of love that has taken place.

Ten days after surgery, we received excellent news that the margins are clear and there is no cancer in the two lymph nodes that were extracted. Radiation would be a definite, but we need to wait for the Oncotype DX test to come back in order to know if Jennifer would need to undergo chemotherapy.

Jennifer’s life took quite the 180 last week when her collarbone, on the left side (not the breast cancer side) started hurting. Her pain tolerance is high, but honestly, she could barely speak. Her oncologist sent us to the emergency room. She said that from what she could see, it appeared broken. This was baffling because Jen had not been injured or fallen

On September 12th we were told by an emergency room doctor that Jennifer had a non-traumatic broken clavicle. This was not the worst news. The fracture had/has a moth eaten appearance that is highly suspicious of metastasized cancer.

I immediately started crying. Jen stayed calm. She is always calm in emergencies. In the last week I have watched her suffer terrible pain and her normal positive attitude is not shining as bright as usual.

She now has a breast oncologist, orthopedic oncologist, radiation oncologist, and medical (chemo) oncologist. She is scheduled for a Pet Scan tomorrow which will allow a nuclear radiologist to see what areas of her body, other than the collarbone, may light up to indicate cancer. Surgery is scheduled next week; this will repair the collarbone and alleviate the pain. More importantly, it will allow the orthopedic oncologist to biopsy the bone. We still have not received Oncotype results about her breast.

So, it’s another waiting game. I am scared. I am worried. I wish it were me instead. To top it all off, this cancer disaster has prevented Jennifer from going back to her part-time online teaching job. The girls are finally in school all day and Jennifer looked forward to gaining full time employment this fall, but that is not going to happen.

I have set up this Go Fund Me to allow Jennifer to avoid foreclosure on her house. She has lived there for almost a decade. It’s a perfect little house for her and my granddaughters, and their pug, Tillie.





I wanted to post this a month ago, but Jennifer would not let me until she received the surgery results. At this point, my family and I have paid as much as we have to help her. I am 72 and on social security so I charged Jen’s last few months of utility bills. My sister and I have no savings at this point and it’s impossible for us to pay our bills and Jennifer’s. The money is gone.

Jennifer has been a single parent for six of the last (almost) seven years. She lost the love of her life and father of her children in January 2017. Because he was a freelance artist, he did not work enough for Jen to get social security for the girls.

Jennifer taught high school English for 14 years. She resigned four years ago and while she has managed to stay at home with the girls, she has financially struggled. She was really excited to start working again.

Her bills consist of a mortgage, utilities, insurance, college loans, gas, cell phone, and veterinary care for her 10-month-old puppy who has severe allergies. She drives a beat up 1994 Chrysler Town and Country that needs something done every couple of months.

I am hoping to raise enough money that Jennifer can catch up on her mortgage and pay all of her bills for the next six months. I don't want her or my granddaughter’s lives disrupted anymore than the cancer has already done. I know that Jennifer would also like to raise enough to pay for a really fantastic birthday party for the twins in December. They will turn seven.

This is a time where I want my daughter to be snuggled in her house, spending time with her daughters. We are so grateful for the recent help with the girls, food, and even laundry. At this point, even though I know Jennifer is embarrassed, she needs financial help.          

Thank you so very much. We are thankful for even the smallest amount.

Those of you who know my daughter, know the brave, intelligent, beautiful woman that she is. She has had quite a few obstacles in the past decade that she has worked so hard to overcome.

Thank you for continued prayers.

I know my do-gooder daughter. When she is well, when she beats this, she will pay all the kindness forward in any way that she can. God Bless.

-Gloria Sullivan

P.S. I have asked Jennifer to post this for me. She makes fun of me because I don't even have a cell phone.  I am very proud of myself for writing this. As you can tell, I don't quite write as well as my writer daughter. 


Thanks from Jennifer, Kathryn, Evelyn, Gwynnie, and Tillie.