I’m sharing this with a heavy but profoundly hopeful heart. My momma, Peggy Hawkins-Dean, continues her fight against Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). As her treatment progresses, we are facing urgent, unexpected financial needs.

The Current Battle:

Mom has completed two rounds of chemotherapy at UCLA. While no new cancer has been found in her marrow since checked prior to leaving the hospital the first time, her doctors are using aggressive preventative measures to contain this especially fast-growing disease that only makes up 1% of all cancers diagnosed in the U.S., representing a rare but significant malignancy. She is now starting her third round of chemo, originally described as ~three oral medications.

However, we just learned the out-of-pocket costs for this round will be significant; insurance is classifying it as "supportive care" rather than the life-saving treatment it is. She requires this chemo to stay stable until her stem cell transplant at the end of May.

Mom’s Spirit:

Mom is currently home for a few weeks, regaining her strength. She has cherished attending Easter service at her home church, playing Quirkle with my dad Chris, and enjoying the fresh air with her poodle Phoebe.

To call her a "wonderful mom, wife, and friend" doesn't capture the weight her presence holds. She is the gravitational center of our family. Though she has been legally disabled since age 40, she has spent her life relentlessly loving others. Even now, she spends her time praying for the peace and burdens of others rather than herself.

How You Can Help:

1. Prayers. First and foremost, please pray for Mom, our family, her medical team, and her donor, a 23-year-old man in Poland.

2. Practical Support. Check-ins with her and her immediate family via calls or texts and help with errands are greatly valued.

3. Financial Giving. If you feel led to give, these funds will cover the high out-of-pocket costs for this third round of chemo and the 3–4 week housing stay required to be within 5 miles of Westwood following her transplant in late May/early June. As of now, estimated costs for just the chemo will be ~8k.

With love and hope,

Sarah