There are moments in our lives that remain imprinted in our brains whether we want them to or not. For me, the past five months have been filled with those moments - all connected by a constant struggle between faith and fear.

August 22nd is the day that started with a last-minute college checklist and ended in a small ER room and a cancer diagnosis. While the doctor delivered my mom’s diagnosis, I clung to my dad’s hand while gently holding my mom’s with my other hand. The air became heavy, the ground unsteady, and gravity felt crushing. My eyes formed small puddles of tears that refused to fall and my mouth slowly shaped into a small “everything will be okay” smile. I squeezed my mom’s hand and finally turned to her, determined to seem strong for her. When she met my gaze I saw the tears in her eyes, then she asked if I was okay. That’s when my tears finally fell; because in the midst of receiving world-shattering news, my mom’s number one priority was still making sure that the people she loved were alright.

September 17th is the day my mom was officially diagnosed with Advanced Stage 3 breast cancer. My family was sitting in the living room when we got the call. The oncologist informs us that my mom’s tumor is extremely fast growing, the cancer has metastasized yet is “localized,” and we are still at a good spot to treat and manage it. The not-so-good news? My mom can only be administered chemotherapy if she has insurance, and unfortunately for my family, we have been struggling to get her insurance since the moment she was “informally” diagnosed. The other caveat? The longer we wait, the higher the risk of spreading becomes. That day was the first time I saw my mom truly cry over her diagnosis, yet all she said was, “God has always taken care of me and my life is in his hands.” That was when I finally understood what has kept her so strong throughout her life and her diagnosis.

October 25th is the day my mom was rushed to the hospital because of a life-threatening septic shock. This was the first time the possibility of losing my mom became tangible. On the outside, the voices of fear in my head took over my body, searing the image of my mom’s fragile body into my brain. Yet, my heart felt an odd calmness, a sense of security that everything would be alright, and it was! Until November 20th, where a “normal” day evolved into a mini-repetition of October’s episode. Weary by the precedents, the doctors decided my mom’s tumor had become unmanageable and extremely life-threatening, and by the evening of November 21st, my mom had undergone a successful mastectomy.

My mom is my hero, the type of woman I aspire to be, and the woman I hope to share many more memories with. She is a woman that has navigated her journey with cancer without any insurance; a factor that has caused turmoil, fear, and stress to an already-taxing circumstance. Yet, my mom’s spirit remains unbreakable- her faith in God remains strongly rooted, and my family’s faith in God is what has kept us standing until now because as Peter said, “it is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes [from one’s self] that completely heals” (Acts 3:16). It is with this faith that we have encountered many angels throughout this journey, and now a new miracle has presented itself to my family… After waiting for months, we can finally get my mom health insurance! It is also with this faith that I ask for your help today. Treating cancer with insurance can be expensive, but managing cancer without insurance is even more financially taxing, and this is a burden my parents have had to deal with for months. Now, we have to brace ourselves for high premium costs in addition to any out of pocket costs we might encounter. If there is anything my mom’s journey has taught me so far is that miracles do happen. My mom has beaten all the odds, the impossible have become possible, and I have encountered plenty of individuals that have shown me goodness still exists in this world. Therefore, it is with this spirit of faith and hope that I ask you to please help me give my mom her best chance at beating cancer!