On October 10th, Jennifer was diagnosed with Stage 2 estrogen-positive breast cancer. At the time, we believed the cancer had only spread to one lymph node, and the plan was a straightforward surgery followed by radiation.

Unfortunately, her journey quickly became much more complicated.

A Tougher Battle Than Expected

Jennifer’s last day of work was December 11th, and she underwent a mastectomy on December 18th. During the procedure, surgeons discovered the cancer had spread much further than initial scans showed. She was re-diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer, with active cancer found in five lymph nodes.

Since that major surgery, Jennifer has endured three additional surgeries, including a highly invasive procedure to remove 41 lymph nodes from her armpit to prevent further spread.

The Long Road Ahead

Because of the re-diagnosis, Jennifer’s treatment plan has become significantly more intense. She is currently facing:

Physical Therapy: Working hard to regain strength and mobility in her right arm and manage painful lymphedema.

Chemotherapy: A grueling 5-month regimen, with her final treatment hopefully scheduled for August 25th.

Radiation: Starting roughly 4 weeks after chemotherapy, requiring treatments 5 days a week for 5 weeks.

All of her medical care takes place in Gig Harbor and Puyallup. Traveling 2 to 3 times every single week has created a massive logistical and financial hurdle. The cost of gas and toll fees alone has become a heavy, stressful burden on top of her physical exhaustion.

If everything goes exactly as planned, Jennifer hopes to return to work in September—but her recovery timeline remains uncertain.

The Financial Strain

The financial toll of this battle has been devastating. Jennifer’s Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) ran out in March. While she has been incredibly grateful to rely on donated sick leave from her amazing coworkers, her work contract recently restarted. Because of this, the school district is now only paying for her remaining days in the school year, resulting in a drastically reduced income.

We are reaching out to ask for your help to cover:

Mounting medical bills and ongoing, specialized treatment costs.

Basic daily living expenses to keep her household afloat while she is unable to work.

Transportation expenses, including the high cost of gas and tolls for her frequent commutes to treatment.

How You Can Help

If you know Jennifer, you know she absolutely hates asking for help. She is always the first person to step up for anyone else, carrying a heart of absolute gold and a fiercely independent spirit. Now, it is our turn to show up for her.

This journey has been incredibly long, difficult, and full of unexpected roadblocks, but Jennifer is a fighter and is determined to beat this.

Any support you can offer—whether it is a financial donation or simply sharing this page with your network—means more to our family than we can ever put into words.

Thank you so much for standing with Jennifer and helping her focus on what matters most: healing.