Time Together Matters

My name is Melanie, and I’m writing this with a heart full of hope, fear, love, and gratitude. My journey with melanoma has been long, painful, and life-altering. After trying every standard treatment available, I was told I had reached the end of my options.

Then—just when I thought the door was fully closed—I was accepted into a newly FDA-approved therapy called TILs (Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes). This treatment was pioneered at Mayo Clinic, and is now finally being offered at the University of Minnesota Fairview Research and Medical Center, where I’ll soon be admitted.

This therapy is my last real chance.

There are no promises… but there is a possibility.

A possibility of 3–5 more years.

Three to five more years of mornings with my family. More birthdays. More hugs. More laughter. More memories that we aren’t ready to stop making.

I’m holding onto that hope with everything I have.

But this hope comes with overwhelming financial strain—travel, time away from work for both me and my family, uncovered medical and comfort-care expenses, and the day-to-day costs of simply trying to stay afloat while fighting for my life.

This fundraiser will help us:

Cover costs related to the TILs therapy and hospital admissions

Manage travel, lodging, and daily care during treatment

Allow my loved ones to take time off work to stand beside me

Create space for us to focus on each other, not bills

Hold onto the precious time we still have together

I’m asking for help not because it’s easy, but because I want every possible moment with the people who mean everything to me. This treatment is a chance—a fragile, beautiful chance—and I want to give it everything I can.

If you’re able to donate, share, or simply lift us up in your thoughts, please know that your kindness fills a place in our hearts we will remember forever.

Thank you for helping us fight for time, hope, and love.

Time together truly matters.