Help Rochelle pay her rent and other things

“Be of good courage, with the grace of spirit you can conquer any circumstance”*. These words define the character of my friend, Rochelle.

In 2011 Rochelle was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Ten years later she is still battling this disease. Surgeries, stem cell transplants, chemotherapy treatments, numerous hospital stays, isolation to avoid infection both before and during the pandemic, physical pain, and poverty have not weakened her spirit. As a single mom, Rochelle has done everything to ensure the well being of her daughter, including a strong emphasis on her education. Now 19 years old, her daughter, having earned a scholarship, attends college in upstate New York, and is thriving. Yet the worry about her Mom is constant. She was just 10 years old when her Mom became sick. Indeed, at the same time that her daughter went to college, Rochelle learned that her cancer is more aggressive with the time between remissions shrinking. She has been readmitted to the hospital, pictured above, to undergo treatment, which may be the last attempt to bring the myeloma under control. She is currently recovering from leg surgery as the myeloma had eaten away at her tibia bone. Nonetheless, Rochelle stood strong and encouraged her daughter to leave for school. It was always just the two of them. Now Rochelle is alone.

Rochelle has never complained about her physical maladies or her impoverished existence. She needs your help to pay for food, rent and utilities. It is unclear how long she will remain in the hospital and how her expenses will be met. On a school break, her daughter should find her home intact with food to eat. Providing for this has become extraordinarily difficult for Rochelle.

With courage and grace she has demonstrated all that is good in mankind. Can you please help to give her financial peace of mind?

Thank you.

*Quote by Lailah Gifty Akita

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