Support Kelly McDonnell's Fight Against Cancer

Hello everyone! We are Rachel, Jocelyn, and Connor, and we are creating this Gofundme on behalf of our mom, Kelly McDonnell, who has recently been diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer.

To know our mom is to know someone who enjoys the small joys of life. Modest pleasures such as, drinking a cup of coffee out of her Pooh Bear mug each morning, listening to AM radio hosts dissect the Bears or Cubs games, sitting on the patio to feel the sun hit her skin, and gazing at pictures of her new grandson all fill her life with happiness. Amongst colleagues, friends, and family, she is known and loved for her palpable kindness and empathy.

Unfortunately, one day early in March, during a routine physical, our mom's physician felt a lump in her breast. After completing the recommended mammogram exam, they concluded that the lump in her breast was a malignant tumor, and later, discovered that she had triple-negative breast cancer which is an aggressive and invasive form of cancer that does not respond to hormonal treatment. Due to this specific diagnosis, time is of the essence. Our mom was rushed into countless appointments each week since then, receiving a flood of scary information that would define her treatment plan and options. If there are any cancer patients or survivors reading this, or even family members of someone with cancer, you know exactly what we are talking about.

This process and diagnosis has already taken a deep emotional and mental toll on our mom and as recently as May 1st, this journey has begun to take its physical toll, starting with her chemo port surgery. On May 8th, she begins her first round of chemotherapy that will continue once a week for the next 11 weeks. Thereafter, she will undergo 12 weeks of immunotherapy, and then rest for 6-8 weeks before having a surgery. Afterwards, she will possibly have to continue with more treatment depending on certain variables.

Clearly, this is a busy, arduous schedule for treatment, and the harsh side effects of chemotherapy coupled with her long-term struggle with rheumatoid arthritis will leave her unable to work for at least the next few months. This realization was an extremely difficult pill for her to swallow, given that our mom is an extremely hardworking person who takes pride in her job. Taking a leave of absence from the company that's been her second home for the last 14 years was certainly not the plan she had in mind. Yet, even if she could work, the unexpected and weighty financial burden that comes with this stressful time is significant. As we speak, medical bills, treatment costs, and prescriptions are already beginning to stack up, causing an already emotional experience to be more overwhelming.

We are humbly asking for donations to help lighten the load of this financial strain, and of course, we are asking for you to send positive thoughts and prayers our mom’s way.

Our mom, Kelly, is a woman of resilience and strength. She gives her heart and compassion to those around her, and now it’s our time to do the same for her. We thank you from the deepest parts of our hearts; your love and support means everything to our family.