Help Vanessa Battle Her Cancer Woes

I never expected to be the one asking for help, as I've always been the one to give it, so this is all foreign to me. Please bear with me as I try to explain my situation.

My name is Vanessa and I need assistance from anyone willing to assist. I have been battling stage 3 rectal cancer and I no longer have paid days off and now I'm losing pay.

I want to be as transparent as possible with you all as you read this because you deserve to know where your donations are going. I am currently making 23k a year working for a nonprofit. I was laid off from a job I worked for for 13 years during the pandemic where I was making 50k a year. The last few years have been quite the adventure, to say the least as many things have transpired during these years that have led up to you reading this.

I do plan on beating this. For anyone to go through cancer treatments, especially within my social class, the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think about before bed is, "How in the world am I going to afford to live after fighting to stay alive?"

That question is always followed up with, "How do children and the elderly have so much strength to get through their treatments when I feel like death?" Knowing that what I'm going through, is what they are also going through humbles me, but it has also kept me from asking for help until now.

I am a 47-year-old Veteran of the United States Air Force, released honorably after 8 years of service as a Medic. It was the best job I ever had, but also the most traumatic. I'm a mom who has raised and is still raising 3 amazing kids on 1 paycheck. A magician at times I would always find a way to make things happen when they seemed impossible to accomplish. A professionally immature adult because life is too short for such seriousness and always ready to help whenever help is needed. Last year I decided to go back to school for Information Systems Management and although had to put that on hold for a couple of semesters, I currently hold a 4.2 GPA and can't wait to get back in that seat. I am surrounded by my kids, my family members, and an amazing group of friends who have been so overwhelmingly supportive while I fight this fight.

Side Notes: