Help Elizabeth celebrate being cancer free for her fortieth!

Two years ago, when my wife Elizabeth was diagnosed with breast cancer, several friends reached out to help raise money to cover the cost of her treatment. At the time, we turned down that help, feeling like we could cover any costs that might arise ourselves.

As 2025 begins, Elizabeth is still undergoing aftercare treatments and is currently unable to return to work fulltime. The journey has been excruciating, with more downs than ups, and has cost Elizabeth and I (her husband Dustin) over $30,000 dollars in medical expenses and missed work.

While we still hope to pay these expenses back ourselves, the debt has resulted in other aspects of life being put on hold. That’s where you come in!

On May 12th Elizabeth will be turning forty, and I would love to surprise her with a week-long trip to Prague to celebrate being cancer free and remind her that life is still waiting on the other side of treatment.

Why Prague? When asked where she would go if money wasn’t an issue, Elizabeth confided that she has always wanted to visit Prague after a project she completed on the city while in college. With your help, I’d like to make that dream come true.

Why choose a GoFundMe? Just a few months before Elizbeth was diagnosed with cancer, I lost my job and decided to start my own wildlife photography business. As you can imagine, the cost in time and money to start a business was substantial, and when many key aspects of growing the business ground to a halt during Elizabeth’s treatment, I was unable to save the finances needed to travel.

Why travel at all? After receiving chemotherapy, Elizabeth underwent radiation treatment, which resulted in the worst radiation burns the nurses had ever seen, and the introduction of a wound care specialist. Chemo and radiation also triggered neuropathy in her hands and feet and unexplained pain in her hips, joints, and back, which make it hard to move. Additionally, Elizabeth has struggled to overcome other hurdles caused by endometriosis and hormone therapy that have resulted in debilitating fatigue. All of this to say that the side-effects of cancer treatment have taken their toll on Elizabeth mentally and physically, and I believe that a chance to explore the world beyond appointments and pain would be a much-needed salve for the soul.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this far. With the state of the world as it is, I know that times are tough for everyone, so if you can’t contribute, no worries at all. Either way, I appreciate each and every one of you!

**I have now added milestone rewards in the updates!**