Hi everyone,

We are rallying together to support our beloved Emily — a devoted mom, sister, daughter, aunt, and passionate school teacher — who was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer.

Emily is 48 years old and has already faced this diagnosis with unshakable courage and hope. In April, a routine mammogram revealed a suspicious mass. At first, doctors believed it to be a small, treatable case of Stage 3 breast cancer. But after full-body imaging, the unimaginable became real — the cancer had already aggressively spread throughout her body.

Emily is now facing a rare, incurable, and fast-moving form of metastatic cancer. It is not something doctors can remove with surgery. Her only path forward is ongoing treatment to try and stop further spread and prolong her life. If she were to pause treatment, the cancer would progress rapidly and become life-threatening in a matter of weeks. This is no short-term illness — it is a lifelong battle.

And yet, despite all of this, Emily continues to show up each day for her students and her family. She is fighting hard with courage, grace, and her personal mantra:

“The cancer won’t take me down. The treatments will work. I will live a long life.”

As she begins intensive chemotherapy and natural therapies, Emily is doing her best to continue working as a full-time teacher. But chemotherapy suppresses her immune system, and working in a classroom full of germs poses serious health risks. Right now, she is choosing to keep teaching — because she loves her work, and because she simply cannot afford not to.

Our hope is to raise enough to give Emily the freedom to step away from work when her body needs rest and protection, without the added weight of financial pressure.

The money raised will go toward:

• Meeting her insurance deductible, which must be met before chemotherapy is covered

• Ongoing natural and homeopathic therapies, which are not covered by insurance

• Everyday living expenses, like rent, utilities, and food, if and when she needs time off work

Emily is a single mother to her son, Johnathan. She’s the daughter of John and Lois, sister to Elizabeth and Sarah, and a joyful aunt to her nine nieces and nephews. Her presence in our lives is a gift — and this is just the beginning of her fight to stay with us as long as possible.

We know that everyone is facing their own challenges right now. But if you’re able to give — whether it’s $5 or $50 — or simply share this page with your community, you’re helping give Emily time, dignity, and strength.

This fundraiser is the beginning of a long road ahead. Every bit of support you give helps build a foundation for Emily to keep fighting — and to live her life surrounded by love and hope.

In the meantime, we are also looking into nonprofits and other sources of financial assistance that may be able to help support Emily through this journey. We know so many of you have walked alongside loved ones through this horrible disease, and if you have any recommendations, resources, or programs we should look into — please reach out. We would be deeply grateful.

With all our hearts,

Emily’s family