Hi everyone,

I’m writing this on behalf of my cousin, Stephanie, an incredible woman who has spent her life turning pain into purpose—and now urgently needs help to survive.

Steph is facing EMERGENT brain surgery to remove a large tumor in her right frontal cortex. Doctors won’t have a definitive diagnosis until they are able to biopsy the tumor during surgery, but they do know this: the surgery is urgent, and there are additional growths in areas of her brain that are inoperable and will require aggressive chemotherapy.

This surgery is life-saving—and life-altering. Doctors have warned that she may temporarily or permanently lose her ability to speak. Despite the fear and uncertainty, she is choosing to fight.

Why She Needs Support Right Now

Steph is an independent contractor, which means she does not qualify for disability. She has continued working long days—even while experiencing intense headaches, ringing in her ears, and cognitive symptoms—because she simply cannot afford not to.

After surgery, her partner will apply for IHSS to care for her, but those services cannot be approved until after surgery, once her level of need is assessed. Right now, there is no financial bridge between “working through illness” and “recovering from brain surgery.”

She is also just six months away from completing her Master’s in Social Work. After years of school and over $100,000 in student debt, she was finally at the finish line—set to become a licensed therapist. This diagnosis has forced her to pause everything at the very moment she was about to step into the career she’s worked so hard for.

Who She Is

Steph’s life has not been easy.

Her father left when she was young. Her mother had her at 15 and later died from a drug overdose. Instead of letting that loss define her, she chose to go back to school and dedicate her life to helping others survive what she once endured.

She is a CADC-I, BSW, an ECM social worker, and a tireless advocate for people facing addiction, homelessness, and systemic barriers. She has worked with those who need the most support—often when no one else would show up.

For six years, she was also a foster parent, working with Indigenous teenage girls with severe behavioral challenges. One of the young women she supported went on to become a police officer by the age of 20—a testament to the impact she has on the lives of others.

She is someone who took responsibility for her past, rebuilt her life, and committed herself fully to service, healing, and accountability. She has always been fiercely independent—someone who takes care of herself and others without asking for help.

Asking for support right now is one of the hardest things she has ever had to do and I had to fight her for a month to allow me to create this. If you know Stephanie, you KNOW how hard that was.

How Your Support Helps

Funds raised will help cover:

Every contribution—no matter the size—helps give her the time, safety, and dignity to fight for her life without losing everything she’s built.

If you’re able to donate, thank you.

If you can’t, sharing this page is just as meaningful.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for standing with [Her Name] during the fight of her life.

With deep gratitude,

Cousin Jessie