Support Nurse's Fight Against Lung Cancer

Hello everyone,

I’m reaching out today with a heavy heart, hoping to find support for my mom, who has dedicated her life to taking care of others—but now, she is the one who needs help.

My mom has been a nurse for over 25 years, caring for countless people in long-term care and assisted living facilities. She has always been the one to comfort, heal, and support others in their most vulnerable moments. But now, she is in the fight of her life

The day after Christmas, she was told that she had a mass in her left lung the size of a large grapefruit and that the doctor was “very concerned” that it was lung cancer. What should have been a time for family and celebration turned into a nightmare. She had no insurance, and now, on top of this life-threatening illness, she is facing nearly $500,000 in medical debt—not to mention the ongoing costs of her treatment and medications.

Her journey has been nothing short of traumatic. Just after her diagnosis, her condition rapidly deteriorated. She had to be life-flighted three hours away to Huntsman Cancer Center in Salt Lake City, where she was placed on two forms of life support—VV ECMO and a ventilator—just to keep her alive. After spending over a week in the hospital, we thought we were finally coming home to recover, but the fight was far from over.

A massive tumor, the size of a large grapefruit, was compressing her trachea, blocking 95% of her airway. She needed an emergency Y-stent to help her breathe, but even that has been a battle. The stent kept occluding, cutting off her air supply and leaving her gasping for breath. I had to call 911 more than five times just to keep her alive. She was rushed back to Huntsman Cancer Center multiple times, once again facing the terrifying reality that every moment counts.

For the past three months, neither of us have been able to work. She is undergoing intense chemo and radiation that has taken a devastating toll on her physically and mentally. I have been by her side every step of the way as her caregiver, but now, on top of everything, we are struggling to afford rent, bills, and the ongoing costs of her treatment. The stress of financial hardship is weighing heavily on her, and I am doing everything I can to keep us afloat—but I can’t do it alone.

That’s why I’m here, humbly asking for your help. Any donation, no matter how small, would make a difference in helping us cover medical costs, daily expenses, and essential medications that she desperately needs. Even if you can’t donate, simply sharing this fundraiser would mean the world to us.

My mom is fighting for her life, and I refuse to let financial burdens be the thing that breaks us. Please, if you can, help us get through this incredibly difficult time. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your support, your kindness, and your prayers.