Joelena is my firstborn of two children, and she means the world to me. In September 2025, our lives changed when she was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. It all started when she went to urgent care with terrible pain in her ribs. A CT scan revealed lytic lesions, a fractured rib, and eventually a fractured T8 vertebra. The cancer was eating away at her bone marrow, and she had to stop working as a meat cutter at Publix because the pain in her back became unbearable.
Since then, Joelena has undergone countless tests, including dental clearance, PET scans, and has been placed on expensive medications, pain management, and steroids. She started radiology treatments to stabilize her vertebrae, followed by immediate chemotherapy. Throughout these months, I have been by her side, making sure she gets to every appointment and has the support she needs. Despite everything, Joelena fought to keep her job, returning to work in a lighter role in customer service to maintain her health insurance after her disability ran out. She can no longer lift, bend, or twist much due to her back, but she is determined to keep her independence, her apartment, and her beloved cat, Thomas. Her father, who lives in Texas and is legally blind, and I have both been doing everything we can to help her stay afloat.
The good news is that Joelena is a candidate for a bone marrow transplant in Chapel Hill or Charlotte, NC—whichever her insurance will cover. She will need to stay in the hospital for a week and then nearby for two weeks of monitoring. The funds from this fundraiser will help cover lodging that insurance doesn’t cover, transportation to and from the hospital (over two hours away), food, and rent for May and June. I will be her caretaker during her recovery, and your support will help us focus on her healing without the added stress of financial worries. I’ve never asked for help like this before, but any support—whether through fundraising, prayers, or donations—would mean so much to us. Even when Joelena is at work, I will be there to help her however I can. Thank you for considering helping our family during this difficult time.
Since then, Joelena has undergone countless tests, including dental clearance, PET scans, and has been placed on expensive medications, pain management, and steroids. She started radiology treatments to stabilize her vertebrae, followed by immediate chemotherapy. Throughout these months, I have been by her side, making sure she gets to every appointment and has the support she needs. Despite everything, Joelena fought to keep her job, returning to work in a lighter role in customer service to maintain her health insurance after her disability ran out. She can no longer lift, bend, or twist much due to her back, but she is determined to keep her independence, her apartment, and her beloved cat, Thomas. Her father, who lives in Texas and is legally blind, and I have both been doing everything we can to help her stay afloat.
The good news is that Joelena is a candidate for a bone marrow transplant in Chapel Hill or Charlotte, NC—whichever her insurance will cover. She will need to stay in the hospital for a week and then nearby for two weeks of monitoring. The funds from this fundraiser will help cover lodging that insurance doesn’t cover, transportation to and from the hospital (over two hours away), food, and rent for May and June. I will be her caretaker during her recovery, and your support will help us focus on her healing without the added stress of financial worries. I’ve never asked for help like this before, but any support—whether through fundraising, prayers, or donations—would mean so much to us. Even when Joelena is at work, I will be there to help her however I can. Thank you for considering helping our family during this difficult time.