Together for Tam: Supporting Her Journey to Heal

From the Friends of Tam ♥️

Four years ago, in 2021, Tam faced a storm no one should ever endure.

In the span of a single month, she lost her beloved son and was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

For two years, she fought with every ounce of courage and eventually celebrated a hard-won victory when her scans showed no active cancer in the Spring of 2023, only to learn it had returned and spread further by the Summer of 2023.

Her body has endured more than most could imagine. In December 2023, she underwent a painful reconstruction that ultimately failed. What followed was an open wound that remained untreated for eight agonizing months.

Then, on April 4th, 2025, came what was meant to be a turning point, a surgery intended to bring relief, but instead, it uncovered a heartbreaking discovery.

Tam’s medical team hoped to finally close her wound, a small but vital step toward healing. Instead, they found a “cancer bed", a hidden mass so extensive they had to widen her surgery site.

Her wound is now four times larger, and the path forward is uncertain: a cascade of MRIs, scans, and treatments that leave her in too much pain to work.

As Tam begins treatment for her medical condition, she’s unable to work in the way she always has. A gifted newborn and family photographer in Buffalo, New York, she’s had to pause the work she loves, preserving the tender, fleeting moments for families like yours and mine. With the road ahead still unfolding, there’s no clear answer yet as to when she’ll be able to return to doing what she’s so passionate about.

Tam has spent her life lifting others up, even when they insist she shouldn’t. She’s the friend who arrives with open arms. The photographer who donates photo sessions to families in need. The woman who, through her own grief and illness, kept her business alive because of you, her cherished clients who became her chosen family.

Now, Tam needs us to lift her up.

It took love, tears, and endless pleas for Tam to agree to this fundraiser.

She’s always been the helper, not the one asking for help. But four years of battling loss, cancer, and financial strain have left her with no choice.

With no income and expenses piling up, we’re asking you to help us ease her burden.

How Your Kindness Helps

1. Medical costs: Cover treatments, scans, and surgeries insurance won’t fully pay for.

2. Basic needs: Rent, utilities, and a safe, warm home as she heals.

3. Peace of mind: Let Tam focus on recovery, not bills, so she can return to doing what she loves.

If you’ve ever been touched by Tam’s work, her kindness, or her quiet strength—please consider giving. If you can’t donate, sharing this page with the hashtag #TogetherForTam helps just as much.

Together, we can wrap Tam in the same kindness she’s given to so many.