My name is Marisol. I’m 33 years old, a single mother of three, and I was recently diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer.

In what feels like the blink of an eye, my entire life changed. One moment I was doing everything I could to hold my family together, and the next I was facing one of the hardest battles of my life. As a mother, there is nothing more terrifying than not knowing how you’re going to make it through something like this while your children are depending on you for everything.

I am fighting this disease with everything I have, but the truth is, I cannot do it alone.

While going through treatment, I am also carrying the weight of everyday survival. My disability benefits are ending on April 17, and I am facing overwhelming stress trying to figure out how I will continue to provide for my children while also paying for the costs that come with cancer treatment. The financial burden is more than I can manage on my own.

I am asking for help with medical-related expenses, cold capping to help preserve my hair during chemotherapy, transportation to and from appointments, and basic living costs like food, rent, and essentials for my children. I never imagined I would be in a position where I would have to ask for this kind of help, but right now I have no choice but to be honest about how hard this has become.

More than anything, I am trying to protect my children from the full weight of this pain. I want them to feel safe. I want them to feel loved. I want them to know that even in the middle of this fight, their mom is doing everything she can to keep going for them.

If you are able to donate, share, or even say a prayer for my family, it would mean more than words can express. Every act of kindness helps carry us through a time that has felt heavy, frightening, and uncertain.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for seeing me, for supporting my children, and for helping us hold on to hope.