My dear friend Joan is preparing to face stage II lung cancer for the third time. For more than 25 years, she has been an incredible bus driver for FCPS — greeting children with a smile each morning and safely carrying generations of families. To so many kids, parents, and coworkers, Joan has been a constant source of kindness, joy, and encouragement.

Despite this devastating diagnosis, Joan continues to show up with grace, strength, and that same bright smile we all know so well.

She is surrounded by her amazing husband, Kenny, and her 3 children and 7 grandchildren (one on the way), but the financial weight of this journey is more than any family should have to carry alone.

Joan recently had a port placed and is about to begin an intense course of chemotherapy and radiation. During this time, she will be unable to drive and will lose a significant portion of her work hours. As medical bills grow, everyday expenses don’t pause — rent, utilities, car payments, groceries, and treatment costs quickly add up.

Like so many others facing this disease, one of her greatest fears is losing her hair — a painful reminder of how much cancer takes, both physically and emotionally. A generous donor has already gifted Joan a wig, a kindness that meant more to her than words can express, but the fear and vulnerability that come with this journey are very real.

We are coming together as a community to help lift some of that burden so Joan can focus on what matters most: healing and fighting this battle with the strength we all admire.

Any contribution, no matter the size, will make a meaningful difference. If you’re unable to donate, sharing this page and keeping Joan and her family in your thoughts and prayers means just as much.

Thank you for helping us support someone who has given so much to others for so many years.