Supporting Emily

My little sister Emily is a vibrant, tenacious young woman who received a devastating diagnosis of cancer in October 2020. At the time Emily was an adventure seeker working on fishing boats in rural Alaska. She woke up one night completely unable to move her legs and was airlifted for emergency spinal surgery where they discovered a large mass growing on her spine. She was diagnosed with Ewings sarcoma of her spine, which is a rare presentation of a cancer that usually affects young children. After her surgery, providers were unsure if she would regain the ability to walk, but her determination was exceptional and she was able to regain function of her legs by Summer 2021. She made the decision to return to Alaska at the end of the summer last year, and she had returned to full-time work. However, her cancer has rapidly progressed, with the tumor tripling in size and causing significant pain and debilitation. She received a second spinal surgery at the end of January 2022. The outcome of the second surgery has not been as successful, and Emily is now receiving palliative, end-of-life care. She remains in Alaska for her care as she is unfit to travel, and the expenses for our family to be out there with her have become immense. We

are grateful for any donations; we anticipate that they will be used mainly to enable my parents to continue to be with Emily 24/7 providing support to her at this time. We greatly appreciate your thoughts and prayers for our Emmy.