Hey everyone—

Asking for help has never been my strong suit, but with mounting medical and travel costs—and a lot of encouragement from friends and family—I’ve made the difficult decision to reach out.

In 2021, I began experiencing long stretches of nausea, dizziness, and nosebleeds that could last for hours. What I believed were lifelong chronic migraines also returned with increased intensity. I was hospitalized multiple times, but there were few answers.

In 2022, I was diagnosed with a meningioma—a series of non-cancerous tumors located in my brain and along the exterior of my skull. The most concerning mass sits at the base of my skull near my ear, in an extremely delicate and dangerous area of the brain, where it is placing pressure on critical blood vessels. While removal of the tumor was not previously suggested I continued with ongoing treatment to reduce my symptoms.

A few weeks ago, my symptoms worsened. I began experiencing fainting, persistent nausea and vomiting, blurred vision, confusion, memory loss, intense pressure in my head and eyes, and debilitating migraines. I was taken by ambulance to UVM, where my medical team informed me that the tumor’s location and growth had caused an additional condition called stenosis—meaning a blood vessel in my brain is dangerously narrowing. This created an immediate risk of stroke or aneurysm.

I was told that without treatment, my life expectancy could be less than two years.

To make matters even more overwhelming, I was informed that surgery was not an option at UVM. I was essentially told to “wait and see what happens.”

After consulting with my primary care physician and the neurology department at Mass General, I was referred to the only medical team willing and able to take on my case: the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

During my initial consultation, Mayo informed me that additional testing is required before they can move forward with treatment. This includes a brain tumor biopsy to confirm that the tumor previously assumed to be a meningioma is not something more aggressive.

I am incredibly grateful to my friend Sara and the Classic Mike Loyer Foundation, who generously donated enough to allow me, my husband, my son, and my future daughter-in-law to travel to Rochester next week to begin forming a treatment plan. Their support has brought immense relief—both emotionally and financially—but unfortunately, it will not cover the full scope of what lies ahead.

Alongside the physical and emotional toll of all this, I am facing significant out-of-pocket expenses to access specialized care that isn’t available close to home. Each trip requires airfare, transportation, and lodging—not only for me, but for a caregiver who must accompany me throughout treatment. With multiple visits expected over the coming months, these costs add up quickly.

I was unable to work for nearly eight weeks due to health-related restrictions. While I have recently returned to work out of financial necessity, the likelihood of additional unpaid days ahead due to limited accrued paid time off—continue to place a heavy financial strain on my family.

Any support through this fundraiser means more than words can express. Your generosity would help ease the burden of medical travel and lost income, and allow me to focus on healing.

Even the smallest contribution makes a meaningful difference, and I am grateful for your compassion and support during this incredibly difficult journey.