Support the Scanlan Family as Kola Battles Stage III Cancer

Dear Friends,

This past fall, Kola McCabe Scanlan was diagnosed with breast cancer. During a screening mammogram, tumors were found in her breast and armpit. The treatment plan was surgery and radiation. There was every reason to be optimistic. In our conversations, Kola imagined herself taking a few weeks off work to heal following surgery and then getting right back into life.

Kola is healing well following surgery. Unfortunately, they found more small tumors than expected and her diagnosis has been adjusted to stage III breast cancer. The treatment plan needs to be more aggressive. Kola's healthcare team is recommending 5 months of chemotherapy starting as soon as possible.

In true Kola style, she has approached this illness with almost unwavering positivity. She has been learning so much about fighting cancer and is taking the best care of herself, from eating bowls full of cruciferous vegetables for breakfast to tapping into feelings of profound gratitude for her family, community, and the beauty of the world around her. I am inspired by her response to such a difficult journey, as I am sure others are too.

When I have seen tears in her eyes, they have been related to the impact of the illness on her children, the disappointment of stepping away from her work that she enjoys so much, and the financial burden of fighting cancer. My hope in starting this GoFundMe is to relieve some of the burden so that Kola can focus on healing and being with her family.

Donations will be used to pay for basic needs first, things like rent, groceries, and car payments. If there are funds after that, the family will use them to help with copayments and medical expenses. All donations go directly to Kola, aside from the small administration fee this site charges.

As you can imagine, letting me start this fundraiser felt vulnerable and it took a few months for Kola to give me the green light. Over five months of missed income and mounting medical bills are going to be difficult for the family to manage. Any amount will make a difference at this time of financial uncertainty. Thank you so much for showing your love for a woman who radiates so much warmth and makes the world a better place with her sparkling eyes and fantastic smile!

Kola has given permission to share this far and wide on Facebook, Instagram, etc. I don’t have a social media presence, so any help distributing this is so appreciated!

Please feel free to contact me with questions, fundraising ideas for Kola, or feedback.

With love and gratitude,

Nara