Hi, my name is Aidan, and I want to share my mom’s story—because it’s also mine.
I first learned that something might be wrong on Halloween in 2022. That day, we went to the fair together, little did I know that was the last day of my innocence of believing my mom was invincible. A few months later, she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. It was fast-growing and aggressive, and everything in our lives changed overnight.
My mom had always been healthy. She ate well, exercised, and believed in taking care of both her body and mind. She was only 38 years old and had no family history of breast cancer, so the diagnosis didn’t make sense to any of us. I remember the fear and uncertainty—but most of all, I remember how hard she tried to stay strong for me.
I watched my mom go through six months of chemotherapy in 2023. I watched her rapidly deteriorate after each treatment, sometimes becoming so sick she was completely bedridden. I watched my grandmother help care for her after every round. She lost her hair, her energy, her strength—and even her laugh. Yet somehow, she never gave up. She continued to work through her treatments to ensure she received her full pay and she never missed any of my school performances or any of my big events, doing everything she could to keep our lives stable. It felt like cancer took almost everything from her—except her reason for fighting. And I know that reason is me.
Every day I went to school, I wondered if it might be the last time I saw her, or the last time she saw me. I learned how to live with that fear somehow. And then she beat it—or so we thought.
In late 2024, the cancer came back. She has been managing it but it is now right back to where it had been before, Stage 3. I don’t want to watch her disappear again. Some days, it already feels like I lost her once, and every day I live with the fear that I could lose her forever.
She kept researching, learning, and advocating for herself. She has now found a specialized treatment center in Buffalo, New York that focuses on addressing the root causes of cancer through an integrative, metabolic approach. This treatment gives her hope—not just to survive, but to live well.
My mom is a single parent that supports me on her own. After years of medical bills, treatments, and travel, finances have become a major barrier. The cost of this program, along with travel and lodging, is expected to exceed $40,000, and we can’t do this alone.
As I step into adulthood, the thing I want most is time—time with my mom. I want her here for my future, my milestones, and one day, for my kids to know her as their grandma. I want them to know the woman who refused to give up so I could have a stable home and a strong mom.
It’s incredibly hard to ask for help, but we need each other to survive. If you’re able to donate or share, you’re helping more than one person. You’re helping a mom keep fighting—and you’re helping a son hold onto hope. You’re helping me try to save not only my mom, but my book buddy, my go-to lunch date partner, my music-obsessed pal, and most importantly, my best friend.
Thank you for taking the time to read our story and for any support you’re able to give.
How Your Support Helps My Mom
Over the last four years, cancer has brought ongoing medical expenses that have added up quickly. Right now, we are raising funds to help cover both immediate treatment costs and ongoing care that insurance does not fully cover.
Your donation helps cover:
• $41,000 for specialized metabolic and integrative cancer treatments and testing
• $465 per month for her integrative medical team
• $2,000 for lodging near the treatment center in Buffalo, NY
• $300 for ketogenic medical nutrition during her stay
• $300 per month for essential supplements
• $100 per month for acupuncture to support her body
• Up to $10,000 in insurance deductible and out-of-pocket costs for imaging and oncology care
In addition to these expenses, donations will also help offset outstanding medical costs from the past four years, which continue to impact our family.
Every contribution—no matter the amount—helps reduce the stress on my mom so she can focus on healing and being here with me. Thank you for supporting our family during this incredibly difficult chapter.
