In memory of Tanya; Our cancer story

My name is Maya and I am fundraising on behalf of my mother Tanya. My mom has spent the last year of her life in constant and unmanageable pain. Doctors were not able to give her any sort of diagnosis for months. About 7 months later was when they diagnosed her with chronic pancreatitis. She spent months in and out of the hospital for weeks on end with no help or solution to her pain. Her pain baffled many doctors and it wasn't till she underwent an incredibly invasive Whipple procedure in early July of 2022, in an attempt to discover the source of that pain, that they were able to remove part of a huge mass off the head of her pancreas and send it off for testing. In July of 2022, we were given the terrible news that she has Stage 3 Pancreatic Cancer. This type of cancer is elusive and good at hiding in the body undetected. Her cancer has spread to her lymph nodes and the Doctors aren't sure if it has migrated elsewhere. During this time frame, my mom has not found any relief from pain. Nothing has helped her and she lives most days in an unbearable amount of agony.

Because of her ongoing health issues, my mom has not been able to work. She is an instructor and the artistic director of a Theatre company. Teaching has been her lifelong passion and for her to not be able to do it right now is also extremely painful but in a different way. I am a 21-year-old student who has had to take off this semester of school because I have become a full-time caregiver, not only to my mother but to my grandmother as well. Two years ago she was diagnosed with Dementia. She has begun a fast decline and it has become increasingly difficult managing her livelihood. Before my mom was diagnosed she was my grandmother's full-time caregiver. Now that role has fallen to me. I work full-time hours at my minimum wage job and have debated getting another in order to meet our daily financial needs. Unfortunately the more time I work the less time I am home taking care of them both. As our household is just me and my mom and grandma I am the only one bringing any sort of income home.

All this being said the looming financial stress that is coming has become a massive burden on our household. Not only are we struggling in our day-to-day lives affording things like groceries and paying off our house, but my mom will soon begin her chemotherapy treatment which in some cases can cost up to 10,000 per treatment session. We have also recently discovered that there is an outstanding mortgage of $50,000 owing and that $40,000 is owing on property tax. Should my grandmother be placed in long-term housing, these debts will need to be paid immediately.We are asking for any donations that will lessen one of the many burdens we are facing at the moment. We understand times are trying for everyone right now so anything you can donate we are beyond grateful for. All donations will go directly towards either outstanding house debt, everyday necessities like groceries and other medication or towards my mom's Cancer treatment.

My mom is my best friend, rock and my whole entire world. She is the strongest woman I know and has raised me on her own to be the same way. She has also taught me there is never any shame in asking for help when you really need it so I have decided to do just that through this GoFundMe. Thank you for taking the time to read our story.