Support Mikeila's Battle Against Stage 4 Cancer

Many of us do not travel through life unscathed, we all endure tragedy and loss at some point. Mikeila is a survivor who has overcome so much trauma and has lived through more than her fair share of grief. She lost her only sister, Mindy, to cancer in 2008 and her younger brother, Mac, in 2002, when he succumbed to his mental illness.

Mikeila’s parents were blessed to live long lives; however, they have passed in old age. Mikeila is left with no familial support outside of her only child, Nathaniel, and her three adult nieces and nephew (Mindy’s children).

Over the past few months, Mikeila has been experiencing health issues and concerns were rising with her inability to breathe well. On July 13th, Mikeila checked herself into the ER due to difficulty breathing. As you can imagine, when a doctor utters the word Cancer, time stops as that is the last thing you expect as the issue! Cancer sucks! It’s unfair and it doesn’t discriminate. After every obstacle Mikeila has faced in her life; she now faces the biggest one yet! She needs all the support she can get to endure this unrelenting battle against her cancer diagnosis.

Over the past two weeks Mikeila has painfully started to put the pieces together: Stage4 Lung Cancer, a large “inoperable” mass found on the lungs, 4 small masses found within the brain, a petscan is required, the looming thought of Chemo/Radiation Treatments…it ALL becomes very daunting. We all know the “unknown” is frightening. Mikeila is in a season of “unknown” with this new Stage 4 Lung Cancer diagnosis. She does not know if she will survive this, she does not know if the treatments will work, and she still does not even know how far this cancer has spread. What she does know is that she has family and friends who will be there to support her, encourage her, and love her through every step of this process. One of the steps she must take is a financial one. I am 100% positive that we will be able to make this step less difficult to climb for her. With providing financial help will ease the burden with:

• unexpected medical costs from this horrendous disease

• household duties as she will be unable to clean/cook/manage while undergoing an aggressive treatment plan

• Daily transportation to treatments if family/friends are unable

• Self-care

• Mikeila is also the primary caregiver to her son’s father, Dan. He requires 24 hour support and care for his Alzheimer’s disease. Outside caregivers are now a need for both Mikeila and Dan. She can’t shoulder this burden on her own any longer.

As she navigates these difficult and unknown steps, let us hold her hand with support and comfort and take away the stress of the financial burden she inevitably will face in these upcoming days.

Mikeila is selfless, loving, courageous and when she steps into a room, she is and has always been an uplifting beacon of light. She has touched so many lives with her drive to help those who have been in need. It is now our turn to repay her kindnesses. It is our turn to give her every ounce of support we can muster. On Friday, August 16, we will know the full extent of this disease after her Petscan, but for now, lets remove the burden of these financial issues and let her walk into this appointment on Friday with less stress on her very full plate.

Thank you for your support! Keep an eye out as we will also be setting up a meal train once we have a set schedule for treatment. Treatment is estimated to start immediately following her petscan this Friday, August 16th. We will continue to update as we know more.