Hi, my name is Darah Conatser, and I’m reaching out to family, friends, and our wider community on behalf of someone who means the world to me — my best friend and sister in every way that counts, Michele Rose Voorhees.

If you’ve ever had the blessing of knowing Michele, you know her as a warm, funny, authentic, and fiercely loving soul. She is the kind of person who pours kindness into every room she enters, who shows up for others without hesitation, and whose heart is bigger than she’ll ever admit.

Just as the holiday season began, Michele received devastating news: at only 30 years old, she has been diagnosed with Cervical Cancer. Learning this would be heartbreaking at any age — but hearing it so young, and right as the holidays approach, has added layers of stress, fear, and uncertainty that no one should ever have to face.

Michele will undergo a modified radical hysterectomy followed by months of recovery. What makes this even more overwhelming is that she does not qualify for FMLA or short-term disability, leaving her without the financial safety net she needs during the hardest battle of her life. With the cost of healthcare, copays, and deductibles at an all-time high, even basic treatment and recovery expenses become mountains to climb.

Anyone who truly knows Michele also knows that she is not the type of person who would ever ask for financial help. She has always been the one lifting others up, never wanting to burden anyone with her own struggles. That is why I encouraged her to allow her family, friends, and community to step in — because she deserves to feel the same love, support, and compassion that she so freely gives to everyone else.

I’m calling on our community — her loved ones, our Blackman High School Class of 2013 family, and anyone with a heart open to helping — to rally around Michele the way she has always shown up for others. Any support, no matter the amount, will make a tremendous difference and is appreciated more than words can express.

And if you are unable to give financially — which is completely understandable in today’s world — we ask from the bottom of our hearts that you keep Michele in your prayers, hold her in your thoughts, and send every bit of strength, love, and healing energy her way.

Thank you for taking the time to read, share, and support. Michele is not facing this alone — she has an entire village behind her, and your kindness truly matters.