Hello everyone,

My name is Amber and I am the daughter of Kathy Humes whom I am starting a fundraiser for in order to help with her funeral expenses - including her memorial service, burial and repast.

Here is her story:

My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019, where her battle would be only beginning. She got a mastectomy done that year and remained cancer free until 2021 to where it reemerged, only this time it spread to a tumor that was in her brain. The tumor itself wasn't very large, but because of where it was on her brain the how quickly the fluid was building around her cerebellum, it was told that she needed emergency brain surgery or else it would have been fatal and they gave her 72 hours at that point to live. My mom was very much against getting the surgery and would not do so until she knew my sister was in good hands, which is her one and only biological daughter Tara Magee who was born with cerebral palsey and unable to walk or talk or take care of herself. My mom dedicated her life and time to Tara aka "TT" and only agreed until we got my Aunt Michelle, my Dad's sister to help take care of her while she received the surgery and would need time to recover.

Fearing the worst, I was scared and also so was my Mom. I didn't want to lose her and prayed and hoped and cried that she would come out alive, well and her usual self. Praise God, he did just that. She was still in her right mind afterwards, she began to walk again and got her strength up within days, doctors and nurses said it was literally a miracle how well she did after he fact.

She began radiation and chemotherapy for the two very small tumors that were unable to be removed during surgery and after a few months she would be in remission and finally cancer - free. It was very tiring for her and the treatments would literally take most of her energy and was very draining on her daily life being a care taker for another, not only TT, but for my brother Charlie, who she raised along myself as well.

In April of 2024, I began to notice a change of behavior in my Mom. She wouldn't respond to my phone calls or text messages (we talked every day). She made excuses saying she was too exhausted to take care of Livi (her grand daughter, my daughter who she was crazy about) and also she stated that her driving or perception was off and she didn't feel comfortable driving anymore. One day I decided to go to her house unannounced and see exactly what was going on.

My mom was unable to sit up without getting dizzy, she didn't return my calls because she couldn't swipe up to answer her phone, she couldn't text back because her vision was too blurry to see and her hands could not even hold the phone properly. She was unable to take care of herself and she was definitely unable to take care of Tara. Charlie, my brother who is also a bit mentally challenge was the one beginning to take care of her and followed my moms instructions to help TT. I knew something was wrong and she needed to go to the ER immediately. But by my Mom being her, we had to make sure Tara would be taken care of first and foremost before she would go anywhere to see about anything.

After being stubborn and talking my Mom into going to see what was the matter, the fear of knowing this started looking familiar from the tumor in 2021, made me think that this awful disease has came back and was being more aggressive than ever. From the hospital and after waiting many days to get approval from insurance to get an MRI, it was discovered and explained to me by many doctors and nurses that the cancer had spread not only to various parts of her body, but also back into her brain. Once the results were received, the doctor called me in to look at the results. She had 22 tumors in her brain. Some were big, some were small, and they were everywhere. My heart sank. I wept as the surgeon said surgery would be impossible and fatal.

Her chemo and radiation doctors came and explained that the disease was working so quickly and aggressively and that treatment would only become an option if she would to be strong enough to receive it and even then, they said it would be whole brain radiation which could cause permanent memory loss, dementia, etc. Being that she was referred to a rehab facility in order to see if she would become stronger, she did not. Each day she declined a little bit more and a little bit more. Slowly losing her ability to move any of her limbs from her arms down to her feet. To becoming completely dependent upon others for bathing, feeding and taking care of her. It's so hard to watch the person you've known to love and be the care taker for others, now needing the care taking.

My mom was a devoted mother, care taker and grandmother. She was very kind hearted and thrived on helping others. She was always so giving, loving and always stayed positive no matter what she was experiencing and going through. She was the strongest woman I have ever met in my entire life. So I am taking the time aside to share her story and make this post and put my pride in my back pocket to ask all of my friends, her friends and family, and the community in which she lived to help by donating to help support and give my mother the home going that she so very much deserves. Every little bit helps and it is greatly appreciated. Even if you are unable to give monetary, simple sharing this post and sending your words of love or encouragement is also very much needed at this time. She did not have savings or life insurance.

You may also donate by sending funds directly to my cash app account $ambrosiahoney or by calling or visiting Paradise Funeral Chapel in Saginaw, Michigan (located at 3100 S. Washington Ave. ) and making a payment directly on her account whether it be by cash or card and state that is it for Mrs. Kathryn Humes. She was loved by many and will be greatly missed by all of her children, grand children and all of her friends and family.