Together We Fight #TeamJay

The spring of 2023 was supposed to be a busy but largely carefree season for my sister, Jalynn Holmes. She and her husband, Austin, would watch and worry as their infant daughter, Ella, went from crawling to walking and would likely collect some bumps and bruises along the way.

It was going to be a chance for Jalynn to play soccer and plant flowers with her toddler daughter, Vierrah, they would water the flowers and watch them grow. They would spend time playing outside until the sun went down.

It was to be a typical Indiana Spring for this sweet family: full of sunny days, evenings by the fire pit, taco Tuesdays, and playful bath nights with their two sweet girls.

But all those plans changed in an instant when Jalynn received a surprising phone call while she was at work on a typical April morning. Jalynn, at only 27 years old, received information from her physician that she had breast cancer and she needed to make plans for follow up testing as soon as possible.

During a routine checkup, it was found that an area Jalynn thought was mastitis from breastfeeding would later be diagnosed as metastatic breast cancer.

The next several days were a whirlwind of medical appointments and procedures to determine further diagnosis and treatment options. Due to certain radioactive testing, she had to spend time away from her girls for their safety. Only adding to the difficulty of the situation.

There are a lot of implications to this type of diagnosis, and one is inescapable: Time away from their jobs due to surgical procedures and chemotherapy treatments means loss of income for the family, many additional expenses, and more demands on the family.

At this time, Jalynn has a treatment plan that includes placement of a port, followed by a minimum of 4 months of chemotherapy and heart monitoring due to the type of medications that she will receive during her treatments. She will then follow up with her surgeon for a surgical procedure. Followed by an additional 8 months of chemotherapy.

Like many independent people, Jalynn and her family are uncomfortable asking for money and support as they face the challenges ahead.

This Go Fund Me page is being created on their behalf with their future in mind and with hope.

Hope that friends and family will rally to support this sweet family through giving what they can afford: Love, prayers, financial support, or words of encouragement. All of which are appreciated.

If you can help in other ways, please reach out and do so: a casserole for a weeknight, a shared post, a trip to the grocery store, whatever it is, please know that it is greatly appreciated, too.

Thank you and God Bless!

#TeamJay

An account has been established at Hoosier Hills Credit Union under the name Holmes Benefit Account.

Venmo: @Indiana23 (Holmes Benefit Account- may need 4 digit code 1175)

PayPal: @KarenH2022