My name is Christine, and I would like to raise funds to help my sister Jennie and her family financially during this difficult time. Recently, Jennie was diagnosed with breast cancer following several tests and a biopsy. She was quickly scheduled for a mastectomy, but unfortunately during surgery they had unexpectedly discovered that an aggressive form of cancer had spread to her lymph node. Now, Jennie faces a long and challenging road ahead requiring aggressive chemotherapy to treat all the cancer cells in her body, adjuvant therapy, and possibly radiation following chemotherapy.

My sister is a mother to two young children ages 4 and 7, and has spent her entire career as a social worker, providing community-based care to women, children and their families in New York and Philadelphia who have experienced various forms of trauma. A few years ago, she opened her solo therapy practice in Philadelphia and has been providing mental health counseling, helping women and parents through their seasons of distress and pain.

Unfortunately, her intensive chemotherapy regimen and the impacts that it will have on her will mean that she will have to decrease or pause therapy over the next year. As a solo practitioner with no leave and disability benefits, the loss of her income will have significant implications on the family's resources. In addition to expensive medical treatment, Jennie and her husband will use the funds towards childcare to help support them as they navigate this without any local family help.

Any contribution, no matter how small, would go a long way in helping to alleviate their financial burden and allow Jennie to focus on her health and family. Thank you for your generosity and support.