Update: No longer needing help for her fight. She’s passed on May 2. Thank you to everyone who shared, donated and kept her in your thoughts and prayers. We truly appreciate you all!!
Cancer has already taken too much from our family. In 2010, we lost our mom to breast cancer, and just ten months later, we lost our sister to cervical cancer. One of the hardest parts of losing our sister was knowing she didn’t have insurance and couldn’t afford the care she needed.
Now, my baby sister, Ericka, is facing her own fight with cancer, and once again our family is battling the same heartbreaking obstacle: the cost of medical care.
My little sister Ericka was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Because of insurance approval delays, her surgery had to be pushed back until the summer of 2025. When doctors finally performed the surgery, they removed her entire thyroid and surrounding tissue. At first, they were hopeful everything had been removed, but during her follow-up appointment, they discovered seven cancerous spots.
She then went through radioactive iodine treatment to destroy any microscopic cancer cells that might remain. She faced every step of that process with courage and hope.
But the fight didn’t end there.
Because her thyroid was removed, she now depends on daily medication to survive and stay healthy. Unfortunately, she recently lost her medical coverage through AHCCCS. Her husband recently got a better job, which should have been a blessing, but they were told she cannot be added to his insurance until open enrollment in October due to employer requirements.
Right now, she has no insurance coverage.
Without insurance, the medications she needs are extremely expensive. To make them last longer, she has been spacing out her doses — something no one battling cancer should ever have to do.
Recently, things became even more frightening. She began struggling to breathe and had to go to the hospital. Doctors found fluid in her lungs and concerns involving her liver and spleen while they continue running tests. For the past couple of weeks, she hasn’t even been able to lie down to sleep because breathing becomes too difficult, so she has been sleeping in a recliner just to get through the night.
Our family knows firsthand how much access to medical care matters. I began my own cancer fight in 2024, and because I had insurance, I was able to receive the treatments and medications I needed. Today, I am clear and continuing care to keep it that way. That experience makes it even harder to watch my sister fight without the same access to care.
Ericka is a mother, a grandmother, and the love of her husband Frank’s life. She is also the kind of person who has always been there for others; she brings laughter into the room and keeps our family connected.
She’s my baby sister, the one who can still drive me crazy in the best way, and the one I want here with us for many more years.
We are asking for help to cover:
• Life-saving medications
• Doctor visits and medical testing
• Hospital bills
• Follow-up cancer treatments
• Basic living expenses while they focus on her health
Right now, we are simply trying to make sure she can afford the medications and care she needs to keep fighting.
No donation is too small. Every single dollar helps her continue getting the care and medications she needs.
If you cannot donate, sharing this page could help us reach someone who can.
Our family has already lost too much to cancer. We are doing everything we can to make sure my baby sister Ericka has the chance to stay here with her children, her grandchildren, and everyone who loves her.
Thank you for reading her story, for your prayers, and for any support you can give.