I recently moved out of my family home at 20 years old, and two months into living in my new apartment, I was diagnosed with stage 3 metastatic melanoma. It started with a mole on my left leg, but by the time we discovered it was cancer, it had already spread to a few lymph nodes on the left side of my groin. I have insurance that has helped with some medical costs, but the expenses from scans and treatments are already overwhelming. I am currently in immunotherapy treatments, and next month I will be getting surgery to remove the mole and the lymph nodes the cancer has spread to. I’m very worried about the medical costs I will owe after surgery, I will be out of work for 4-6 weeks I’m very scared of how that’ll affect my living situation as well.

The funds from this fundraiser will go toward my medical costs and living expenses. I’ve had to work a lot less due to extreme stress, low energy, and pain caused by the swollen lymph nodes on my leg. This has made it even harder to keep up with bills and daily expenses while trying to focus on my health and recovery.

It has been extremely hard to get through this not just physically but emotionally. This diagnosis has flipped my life upside down, and with medical bills starting to come through, it’s made it even harder to feel motivated to get through this. Though I will survive this journey, having this much medical debt at such a young age would feel extremely debilitating. I wouldn’t be able to get through this without the support of the people around me or others who have dealt with cancer either personally or through a loved one. I’m grateful for any help and support during this difficult time.