Dear Beloved Community of Martha, Gabe, and Milo,

As many of you know, Martha was diagnosed with breast cancer this year. Her treatment consists of chemotherapy, followed by surgery, radiation, antibody treatments, and hormone blockers. Martha has been an amazing champ, supported the whole time by her loving family, Gabe and Milo, along with her loving parents and a vast community who care for and love her dearly.

What you may not know about Martha's current journey is that her diagnosis does not allow her to continue teaching with children due to her compromised immune system. With the loss of her job came the transition to new insurance coverage, which brought with it new deductibles and out of pocket-maximums.This will be repeated in the new year once the limits reset. Additionally, as a schoolteacher, Martha does not qualify for Disability Insurance. All this amounts to thousands of dollars and, with Martha not able to work, is creating a strain on the family.

Martha and Gabe both expressed hesitation in accepting a crowdsourcing fundraiser but agreed that the financial reality in which they find themselves at this time will be difficult to overcome on their own.

Please consider donating as you are able and without creating a hardship for yourself. Martha, Gabe, and family are all deeply grateful for the gesture and generosity of their community.

This crowdsourced fundraising goal is calculated by the total out-of-pocket maximums that the family will have to hit three times during this active treatment. Additionally, included in the total goal are the lost wages that Martha is incurring while not able to work nor able to collect Disability Insurance.

Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions. My contact information is: [email protected], 530-925-6605.

Thanks so much for considering.

Very sincerely, Catarina (coworker and friend)