My name is Melissa Coville (Mills), and after a lengthy conversation with my brother Eric and Sister-in law Sandy, we have decided now is the time to share their journey and ask for your support during this difficult time.

In December 2024, while travelling to NY to surprise family for Christmas, My Sister-in-law, Sandy Mills experienced pain in her bladder. She was seen in the emergency room and referred to her primary care physician when she went home. She has spent the past 9 exhausting months going from one doctor to the next with no answers and having to advocate for herself every step of the way until a mass was found on her urethra in September. After a biopsy in October, Sandy received her diagnosis - Stage 3 Bladder/Urethra Cancer known as Invasive Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Urethra, which has spread into the deep muscle layer of the urethra, known as the muscularis propria. This is an aggressive and rare cancer that requires more intensive treatment than non-invasive cancer because of its potential to spread. Sandy is a FIGHTER and she will beat this, but this is going to be a long road for her and her family. Doctors have said this will be a very rough year moving forward for her and she will not be able to be near her boys for 3-5 days after each chemo treatment. She currently can't even pick up either of her boys due to a 10lb lift restriction. If you know Sandy, she is a mother above all things, and being apart from her boys is going to be a challenge. She will begin chemotherapy soon and these treatments will last 3-4 months. Then 4-6 weeks after she completes her last chemo treatment, she will undergo a complex surgery followed by radiation treatments.

My brother, Eric, is a federal employee working at a hospital in Missouri. With the Federal shutdown, this means my brother, the sole provide, is an essential emergency personnel who must work but is not receiving a paycheck. Sandy’s treatment, recovery, and loving their boys should be their only focus right now. We are hoping friends and family can come together to help with their Financial Hardship. Not only will your donation help relieve the financial burden but will also help Eric with the mental stresses so that he can focus on being there for Sandy and his family in every aspect. They need our support now more than ever.