In November 2011, my mom was diagnosed with Stage IV - B Head and Neck Cancer and given a 5-year prognosis. The following years consisted of radiation, chemotherapy, several surgeries and hospitalizations. In December 2015, my mom was placed in hospice care until she passed 10 days before her 45th birthday.

 

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I watched my parents struggle to afford medicines, bills, their mortgage, and other costs associated with my mom's cancer treatments. My mom took out a 400% interest loan on their truck to pay on some of her medical bills and my husband and I helped my parents financially as much as we could. 

 

I realized that my parents couldn’t be the only people in the world struggling with the financial burden that comes with a cancer diagnosis and couldn't be the only couple struggling to connect with resources that would ease their financial stress.

 

My family’s struggle sparked my desire to create an organization called the Ima Fighter Foundation in honor of my mom that will help cancer patients and their families. The Ima Fighter Foundation will provide free financial courses, advising, and assistance to those in need. 

 

In August 2017, I decided to start working towards my goal of creating the Ima Fighter Foundation. I found a "home" working for a non-profit hospice and palliative care organization called St. Francis Reflections Lifestage Care as part of both their communications and foundation teams.  their guidance and support, I am in the process of learning how to create my Ima Fighter Fund and eventually the Ima Fighter Foundation.

 

Thanks to my career, I get to express my creativity and collaborate with amazing people every day, by taking ideas and turning them into “art” that support the mission of the organization.