Support Mỹ Dung’s Courageous Fight Against Leukemia

Helping Ma Heal

Hello Friends and Family -- Timothy here. I am reaching out to you with a heavy heart to share that our beloved mom, My Dung, has been diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). An immigrant and a refugee, my mom has overcome enormous adversity and hardship and has cultivated a love-filled life in Seattle with her husband, friends, and three kids. But life throws curveballs at us and my mom faces her greatest challenge yet.

A.L.L. is an aggressive blood cancer that without chemotherapy she would only have had 2 months to live. But with treatment and a bone marrow transplant, there is hope for longevity.

Our world has turned upside down, but we are determined to fight this battle with all our strength and faith. We are now in a pivotal moment in treatment after diagnosis three months ago.

Chemotherapy has put the cancer into remission, but bone marrow tests show that it is still present on a molecular level. To fully cure our mom, a bone marrow transplant is needed. The transplant involves a combination of chemotherapy, radiation, and an injection of stem cells through my mom’s hickman line (a catheter connected to a major blood vessel in the chest). After the transplant, my mom will be immunosuppressed for 100 days as her body develops new healthy blood cells.

With that being said, the cost of treatment and care has put a financial strain on our family and we are humbly asking for support with ongoing costs. The largest cost is the temporary housing that meets the hospital’s requirements while my mom recovers and needs 24/7 caregiving. She will need 24/7 care because of possible symptoms that can develop from transplant-related diseases that require an immediate trip to the emergency department. Specifically Graft vs. Host Disease (GVHD).

The temporary housing has to be within 30 minutes of the Fred Hutch Cancer Center and have critical amenities such as washer/dryer, bathrooms, multiple bedrooms, and roof access (fresh air + privacy).

We have found a fair-priced place that will have space for me and my dad, who will be the primary caregiver, while I will be a secondary. My siblings will be back-ups.

How the Funds Raised Will be Used

Medical Expenses: Donations will directly help cover these ongoing costs, ensuring she gets the care she urgently needs: physical therapy, medications, and frequent hospital visits are vital for my mom's treatment.

Support for Living Expenses: While my mom focuses on her recover, my father and I will spend all our time with her, everyday living expenses like rent and utilities can add stress.

Your generosity will provide peace of mind, allowing her to concentrate on her health without that financial concern.

At Home Costs: Extra sanitation gear and supplies needed to make our space more ADA accessible and absolutely clean to prevent disease.

Groceries: Food matters greatly in one's physical health and recovery. We will be cooking all meals home and want to focus on buying and cooking healthy food (vs ordering take out).

Gas: We now have to make almost daily trips to the cancer center, increasing our gas consumption.

Lost Wages: I am taking medical leave and while I get compensated partially by the state, I am losing out on a significant amount of income. I'm budgeting and living frugally but the increased costs with less pay has put me in a difficult position.

How We Will Keep You Updated

I will provide updates on behalf of the family about the big and little things that happen during the 100 days of recovery. Ambitiously, I want to update you once a week - but that most likely will vary given how much time I have between taking care of her and emotionally resetting, so I commit to not going more than 2-3 weeks without providing you an update.

Thank you for all your support -- even reading this, it means the world to us.

Love,

Tim aka Long aka Baby