My mother’s cancer story
Donation protected
Hello everyone. On May 3rd, 2018 I was told heart breaking news that my mom, Nichole, was diagnosed with stage 4 NSCLC (non-small cell lung cancer). This was the day we just came back from visiting my sister in Florida. She decided to go to the ER because she could feel something wasn’t right. I didn’t think it was going to be anything serious, she’s a healthy 44 year old woman... but it was found that she had multiple blood clots. After running countless tests they finally found the clots were caused by lung cancer. They saw the mass in her right lung, a tumor on her spine, a tumor on her neck, and traces in the brain.
Doctors immediately started radiation with 10 treatments on each tumor. In the middle of all of this she started having seizures. So she was transferred to a hospital that could figure out why she was having them. In the week she was at that second hospital she had over 15 seizures and a stroke. She had to have 3 lumbar punctures, the first showed traces of cancer in the spinal fluid. The other two were to lower her spinal fluid pressure so she wouldn’t go blind. It was hard watching her go through so much pain. Fortunately, the doctors were able to get the seizures under control so she was then transferred to a third hospital that could start her brain radiation.
These radiation treatments have started to make her lose her hair. My mom is a strong woman but even the strongest person would be hurt to see their hair slowly fall out. I’m going to look for a beautiful, durable wig for her. She deserves one that will last. Also, from her having the seizures she can’t drive for the next year so she’ll have to rely on rides and public transportation while still having a car payment. Asking for help is the last thing she would do but sometimes it’s necessary.
Shes a single mom with 3 jobs and is no longer able to work until the Immunotherapy treatments are over. The treatments are nearly killing her. She goes in once every 3 weeks for about 5 hours, those 5 hours turn into days and days of unbearable pain. She only has my sister and I left to help in her life, I’m 19 and live over an hour away from her and my sister lives in Florida. I’m begging for anyone’s help, she’s my best friend. I don’t have much to give, but my mom has always tried her best for me so I need to do the same for her. We’ve been saving money to move to Florida in 2 years so we could open up a store together and be closer to my sister, but that has to be put on pause until we can get this under control. The doctors are very hopeful that she can get through this. I honestly don’t know how long she has left until we get through a full round of immunotherapy. So until we find that new out, I want every day to be as good as it can be for her. If she were to go I would at least want to have money for a funeral. Any donations made will be used to help pay for medications, doctor visits, transportation and just daily essential needs. I want to do what I can to help her through this unfair and hard time no matter what happens.
Thank you for caring enough to click on the link and read this post. Any donations will be greatly appreciated. No donation is too small. Again, thank you to everyone from the bottom of my heart for all of your support!
![]()

![]()

Doctors immediately started radiation with 10 treatments on each tumor. In the middle of all of this she started having seizures. So she was transferred to a hospital that could figure out why she was having them. In the week she was at that second hospital she had over 15 seizures and a stroke. She had to have 3 lumbar punctures, the first showed traces of cancer in the spinal fluid. The other two were to lower her spinal fluid pressure so she wouldn’t go blind. It was hard watching her go through so much pain. Fortunately, the doctors were able to get the seizures under control so she was then transferred to a third hospital that could start her brain radiation.
These radiation treatments have started to make her lose her hair. My mom is a strong woman but even the strongest person would be hurt to see their hair slowly fall out. I’m going to look for a beautiful, durable wig for her. She deserves one that will last. Also, from her having the seizures she can’t drive for the next year so she’ll have to rely on rides and public transportation while still having a car payment. Asking for help is the last thing she would do but sometimes it’s necessary.
Shes a single mom with 3 jobs and is no longer able to work until the Immunotherapy treatments are over. The treatments are nearly killing her. She goes in once every 3 weeks for about 5 hours, those 5 hours turn into days and days of unbearable pain. She only has my sister and I left to help in her life, I’m 19 and live over an hour away from her and my sister lives in Florida. I’m begging for anyone’s help, she’s my best friend. I don’t have much to give, but my mom has always tried her best for me so I need to do the same for her. We’ve been saving money to move to Florida in 2 years so we could open up a store together and be closer to my sister, but that has to be put on pause until we can get this under control. The doctors are very hopeful that she can get through this. I honestly don’t know how long she has left until we get through a full round of immunotherapy. So until we find that new out, I want every day to be as good as it can be for her. If she were to go I would at least want to have money for a funeral. Any donations made will be used to help pay for medications, doctor visits, transportation and just daily essential needs. I want to do what I can to help her through this unfair and hard time no matter what happens.
Thank you for caring enough to click on the link and read this post. Any donations will be greatly appreciated. No donation is too small. Again, thank you to everyone from the bottom of my heart for all of your support!
Organizer
Tepanga Richards
Organizer
Pittsburgh, PA
