I’m starting this fundraiser for my parents because they are facing a very difficult and unexpected season in their lives. My mom is 75 years old and has continued working to support herself and my stepfather. My stepfather, Wayne, is 72 and was working up until about three weeks ago, when he was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Since then, everything has changed very quickly.

Wayne will be starting R-CHOP chemotherapy and immunotherapy, which is a life-saving treatment, but it comes with serious risks and costs. His immune system will be extremely compromised, and he cannot get sick, as even a simple infection could become life-threatening. Because of this, he can no longer work, and my mom has also had to significantly reduce her work to protect him from bringing home any illness. While New York State thankfully allows them to switch insurance to better cover chemotherapy, they must pay thousands of dollars up front to make that switch possible.

My parents live very modestly and have always done the best they can with limited means. Their hope has been to remain in their home and age in place, but the house presents challenges. They only have one bathroom, and stairs are becoming unsafe. Before this diagnosis, they were planning to extend the back of the house to add a bedroom and bathroom so they could live safely without relying on stairs. On top of that, their couches are broken and unsafe and must be replaced with brand-new furniture due to Wayne’s infection risk during chemotherapy.

Wayne is a devout Christian and truly believes that God will always provide, and I believe that too. But sometimes God provides through people. I am their only child, and I do everything I can to support them, but this is more than one person can handle alone. Any contribution, no matter how small, would help ease the financial burden so they can focus on healing and getting through treatment. If you are unable to donate, we completely understand and would be deeply grateful for your prayers.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for keeping our family in your thoughts during this difficult