Help Sheila's Recovery from Cancer and Chemo

Dear kindhearted community,

My name is Christopher and I am Sheila Tejada’s brother. Sheila has found herself in a complicated health crisis and needs our help. What started as a routine medical check-up became a diagnosis of stage 4 colon cancer, which has metastasized to her liver and potentially her kidneys. Despite this being an incredibly difficult time, Sheila remains passionate about her work in developing technology to help others and continues to inspire those around her.

From a young age, Sheila fell in love with R2D2 from Star Wars and set out on her journey into computer science and AI. After getting degrees in computer science at UCLA and USC, Sheila joined the faculty of prominent research universities, where she continued to teach and work on cutting-edge AI research.

In 2019 she became the General Chair of the Grace Hopper Celebration, the largest conference for women and non-binary technologists with over 25,000 attendees, to advocate for diversity and inclusion in tech and also started a company dedicated to creating opportunities for underrepresented groups, promoting awareness of the social and ethical implications of AI, and inspiring young girls in robotics and creative thinking.

As a result of her medical condition, Sheila has been unable to work and the medical bills alone are overwhelming. It's challenging for her to keep up with her everyday expenses. We have put together this fundraiser to assist Sheila with meals, expenses, medical bills, home healthcare, and other costs associated with healing from stage 4 colon cancer.

In 2005 Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans when Sheila was a new faculty member at Tulane University. From this experience, she learned firsthand the healing power and resilience that a supportive community provides. Please donate whatever you can to help heal Sheila and get her back on her feet. Even a small contribution can make a big difference. We would also appreciate it if you could share this campaign with your community and spread the word about Sheila's situation. #HealSheila

Thank you for your kindness and generosity in advance.

Sincerely,

Sheila's grateful friends and family