Hi, I’m Miriam, and I created this fundraiser for my dear friend Suzie during an incredibly urgent and difficult time.

Suzie has been battling stage 4 bladder cancer for five years and has followed her doctors’ recommendations closely, continuing her medical care through Kaiser. Over the course of this journey, she has undergone multiple rounds of treatment and faced ongoing medical challenges that have made daily life increasingly difficult.

Recently, her condition has taken a serious and life-threatening turn, including repeated episodes of sepsis that resulted in multiple hospital stays, including an ICU admission from Christmas Day through after the New Year. Many of these hospitalizations occurred following chemotherapy, as her body struggled to tolerate its effects, ultimately leading her medical team to stop treatment and focus on stabilizing her.

Right now, the goal is to give Suzie’s body every possible chance to heal. Alongside her medical care, she is pursuing healing-focused integrative support aimed at strengthening her body, reducing complications, and supporting her immune system. Unfortunately, many of these therapies are not covered by insurance and come with significant out-of-pocket costs. While the road ahead is uncertain and nothing is guaranteed, the intention remains clear: to continue fighting and support healing wherever possible.

If you know Suzie, you know exactly who she is. She is strong and relentless, deeply grounded, and refuses to let this define her. She is a fighter who shows up for the people she loves, even when things are unimaginably hard. If there is anyone who will fight with everything she has, it is Suzie. She meets this moment with strength, steadiness, and an unshakable will to keep fighting.

Suzie’s husband, Marlow, and her children are her world. She is an incredible mother of three, including her youngest son, who is 10 years old, as well as an adult son and daughter. Her love for her family is inspiring and a powerful source of strength during this time.

Suzie and I met years ago when our sons started preschool on the same day and share the exact same birthday. What began as a school connection grew into a close friendship as our families became neighbors and truly like family. Suzie has been a loving, steady presence in my family’s life, and I’m stepping in to organize this fundraiser because supporting her now feels deeply important.

This fundraiser is intended to help cover:

Funds raised will be used to support the care and resources Suzie needs during this critical time, with updates shared here as appropriate.

This fundraiser exists because Suzie is deeply loved by so many, and this platform gives everyone a way to support her and her family during this time in whatever way you are able.

If you are able to donate, please know that your support truly matters. If you’re not able to donate, sharing this page and keeping Suzie and her family in your prayers means just as much.

This journey is in God’s hands, and we believe He is present in this fight. Thank you for surrounding Suzie and her family with love, prayers, and support in whatever way you are able.

With gratitude,

Miriam