So most of know me and what has happened to me in the last year. For those of you don’t Know what happened, I will give you the Cliff Notes version. I am the Childrens Minister of the YouCan TouCan ministry. With God’s nudge, I was led to create the YouCan TouCan Ministry at my church where I teach and focus on Philippians 4:13 : “ I can do all things through God who strengthens me.” Every lesson focuses on all the things we can do instead of all the things we are told we can’t do , kiddos and adults alike. I am not able to do that when I have to rely on big clunky oxygen tanks in order to breathe since I can’t breathe on my own. January 2022: I started having chewing and swallowing issues. By April 2022 I am barely able to eat any solids without it “getting stuck” and choking. I am able to eat spoonfuls of liquid baby food. By June I am barely able to eat more than a few Tablespoons of baby food a day. June 22, 2022 my Gi doctor tries doing a procedure to stretch my esophagus so I can eat and drink normally, the way I used to. No luck. He aborted the procedure because “he couldn’t find an opening” and referred me to an ENT (Ear Nose and Throat) specialist on the following Monday. He felt confident with his pediatric tools he could get the job done . June 29, 2022 I go in for the procedure which was supposed to be about 45 minutes . It ended up being over 2 hours. The reason being is even with his tiny instruments he couldn’t find any opening either but saw a giant mass blocking the top of my esophagus. After two biopsies ordered stat(Now) we got the reason why. I have esophageal squamous cell carcinoma ( cancer of the throat). Side note: I never smoked a day in my life. The thought is it must have been from my previous radiation therapy for my second bought of Leukemia. The ENT admits me and orders an “emergent feeding tube and port [central line] because I was ‘starving to death’ I was maybe 109 pounds with zero muscle tone. We get my weight back up via feeding tube feeds. All is good until Aug 26, 2022 after getting home from my 26th out of 30th radiation treatments, I began struggling and gasping to breathe. I was rushed to one Er and then transferred by ambulance to another bigger hospital where they somewhat stabilized my breathing. I still was struggling to breathe. After being kept over night the Er Dr tells us to go to my radiation and cancer Dr as quickly as I can, so they can come up with the proper treatment for me. Once there, I was asked if I wanted to stop treatment and I said “no” ; so I did my 27th radiation treatment and decided to stay close to my specialists just in case. That night the struggle to breathe turned into me losing the ability to breathe on my own and stopping to breathe completely at least 4 times . Again I was rushed to the Er, where they tried to stabilize me but couldn’t. I was admitted to the hospital. Just 3 days later on my 40th birthday, due to the fact my vocal chords were completely paralyzed (needed to talk and breathe and in turn eat and drink and swallow). I had to make a choice: either allow them to put me in a coma with a ventilator to breathe for me and pray my body heals and I can come off of it, or have a tracheostomy placed to secure an airway. I chose to have the tracheostomy . At this time the ENT doc saw a small opening to my esophagus . I went home to heal with all my specialists on the same page that once my body healed they would remove the trach and in turn remove the feeding tube and all would go back to how it was before. On Dec 6 2022 I went in for a scope to see if we can make that happen. I was then told after waking up from the procedure that my body had built a fortress wall of scar tissue over and around the tumor and there isn’t anything that resembles an esophagus left and my vocal chords are permanently paralyzed. They aren’t sure what the tumor looks like underneath all the scar tissue. So the trach and feeding tube are here for good. Since having the tracheostomy, I have had to rely on auxiliary oxygen via having to pull an oxygen tank behind me if I have to go anywhere like Dr Appointments. To qualify for a portable oxygen concentrator I would have to have the needs of having at least 8 tanks of oxygen a month and I use anywhere from 12-16 tanks of oxygen. We have the requests with the qualification proof sent to the insurance company. They come back with the decision of: if I have the portable oxygen concentrator which I show I need it( only 4-5 pounds and can be carried like a purse or backpack) or I can have the oxygen tanks ( I use 2-3 tanks going to all my Dr and specialist appointments each trip). But I can’t have both. Since I can’t go through the insurance, we have no other choice but to buy one outright. Which means we have to buy one and pay for it ourselves. I along with my husband and family have searched for a portable oxygen concentrator, which I need as a back up. We were able to find one that checks all the boxes and fills the needs including the concentration output that has to be 95% or better. The problem is the cost. Anybody that knows me, knows I hate asking for help. My feeding tube is constantly getting infected even though we are meticulous of cleaning and keeping the area sterile. So I’m here swallowing (no pun intended) my pride and asking for help. I am asking you to help me raise the funds needed to buy the oxygen concentrator I need to breathe.The lowest price we found is $3,600. Believe me this NOT A WANT. I would rather not have to deal with any of it. To have this need met would be instrumental in not only one less thing to worry and stress about, but will help be regain some of my independence that I lost . I would be able to go out in the world and see people (besides my family) and be able to continue my ministry without stressing “ Is there somewhere near where we are going that I can swap out a tank or am I have to ration what oxygen I do have. I know this is a lot to ask. Every little bit helps. I thank each and everyone of you in advance for blessing me and I wish God’s blessing on you as well.