Support Erin's Journey to Heal and Help

Ky Anderson is organizing this fundraiser.

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I've had the privilege of being friends with this sweet human (Erin, on the right) since we met a few years ago, both being students and working at SOU together at the time. Since then, I have not only heard Erin speak of her passion for helping others but I have seen her in action. She advocated both for her peers in graduate school as well as was an advocate on the job. Erin even switched careers and was going back to school to become a Clinical Mental Health Counselor, she cared so much about others and wanting to make a difference that she put her faith in making the career change to pursue this passion.

Last year, Erin's studies were abruptly put on hold as she learned that she had a brain tumor. I saw this woman advocate for herself and be so strong every day, having to fight an unfair fight through the healthcare system just simply to be seen, to get consultations, for many different potential medical centers, for many different potential treatments. It was such a struggle to get information, get scheduled, or talk to someone about her case that I saw her be ready to take a call at any point. On one occasion, her case was lost at one medical center after weeks of getting documents and authorizations sent over. A process of things like this and numerous appointments and travel for months. Although, I know that she received good care and coordination during her surgery this last month, after many months.

As you might imagine, brain surgery is pretty invasive and scary but she demonstrated so much resilience through it all and even shared with me that in the future, she hopes to help others who are also going through this scary and long journey towards healing. That woman, this is one of the first things she said to me when I saw her post-surgery, was that she wanted to help others. She truly has such a big heart, and is always thinking of others and how to improve the quality of life for others; hence her pursuing this counseling degree. She is even planning to re-enroll in her graduate program after the the next phase of her treatment this summer! First, she must receive radiation for a month to continue to shrink the tumor that they could not remove all of. This is likely to happen in August.

Erin receives loving support from her husband, who is also in the same counseling graduate program as I am! And he is just as resilient and caring... I've seen the two of them give so much love to others, and now I ask that you consider giving them some much-needed love and support during this challenging time and the next phase of Erin's treatment. Lots of travel will be involved to Seattle for appointments before, during treatment, and post-treatment... Please consider sending your love and support to these two, anything helps and will give them needed relief.