Hello everyone!

My name is Justine, and I am Elicia’s sister. It is hard to put into words how heartbreaking it has been to watch my little sister go through this.

If you know Elicia, you know how much her family and friends mean to her. She is the person who always makes an effort to stay connected, show up for the people she loves, and do whatever she can to help and support them. She has always worked so hard to take care of herself and the people around her, and now, she needs that same love and support in return.

Over the past year, Elicia had been experiencing ongoing pain that began after the birth of her now one-year-old son. Because she had recently given birth, her symptoms were initially attributed to postpartum issues. She continued to seek medical care as the pain persisted, but it wasn’t until one year postpartum that further evaluation revealed that Elicia has Stage IV metastatic breast cancer, which has spread to her bones, lungs, liver, and spine.

Elicia and Brock had built a life in Ithaca, New York, where they both worked at Cornell University. They had established their careers, their home, and a loving community there, raising their son and building the life they had envisioned for their family.

After her diagnosis, Elicia and Brock made the difficult decision to leave the life they had built and move back to Southern California, where she will have the support of her family and establish care with a new oncology team at City of Hope for the specialized treatment she needs.

Elicia has just begun treatment and has a long road ahead. With treatment limiting her ability to work, along with moving expenses, medical costs, medications, scans, appointments, childcare, and everyday living expenses, there is already so much for her family to navigate.

We are raising money to help take some of that financial pressure off her family so Elicia can focus on what matters most: taking care of herself, getting the treatment she needs, and fighting this cancer.

Any contribution, no matter the amount, will make a meaningful difference for Elicia, Brock, and their son during this incredibly difficult time. And if you aren’t able to donate, sharing this fundraiser, reaching out, or simply keeping Elicia and our family in your thoughts and prayers means more than you know.

We are so grateful to everyone who has reached out, checked on Elicia, helped our family, or simply kept her in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you for loving and supporting her through this.

With love,

Justine Abella Ross