It has not been given to us to know what a day may bring, yet we know that God loves us and has our days in His hands.

On June 27th, Erica Schwartz was diagnosed with invasive ductal triple negative, grade 3 stage 2B breast cancer at the age of 38; the most aggressive form of breast cancer.

Many of you who come to this page probably already know Erica and her husband Erik, but for those of you who do not, here's a glimpse of their story.

Erica and Erik are high school sweethearts (although Erik will say that he had his eyes on her since elementary school). They have been married for 17 years and have four beautiful children (ages 10, 8, 7, and 3), who they are currently homeschooling. Early into their marriage, they also welcomed their niece into their home and helped raise her and continue to support her towards independence. In May of 2023, Erica and Erik started their own small business, Light, Held, Love, which is a photography studio and event space in Geneva. Erica and Erik are truly two of the most selfless, loving, grateful, and giving people you could ever meet. Their hearts are always toward helping others and supporting their loved ones and dreams in any way possible.

Erica’s current treatment plan spans over a year and requires 6 long months of chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments. This will be followed by surgery, then more chemotherapy and immunotherapy, and possibly radiation.

As you can imagine, this is going to have an immense impact on the entire family, mentally, emotionally, and financially. We are asking her loved ones and the community surrounding her to come alongside them to help lessen the financial burden. As small business owners, they are already feeling the financial implications of this diagnosis. The money donated will be used toward medical costs, insurance premiums, incidentals, and the covering costs of their business as Erica focuses on getting healthy.

Erica wants everyone to know that it means the world to her that she has this much support and love behind her through this intense journey. Thank you!