Walking Beside Marie

Some battles change you forever. Some battles take pieces of you that you never get back. And some battles are simply too hard to fight alone. At just 26 years old, Marie has already had to fight cancer twice. Marie was first diagnosed with Stage III Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2018. She fought through treatment and beat it, reaching remission in November of 2019. Then cancer came back. This time, the fight became even harder. Marie has spent more than a year battling Stage IV Hodgkin’s Lymphoma; enduring chemotherapy, countless appointments, hospital stays, setbacks, and the physical and emotional toll that comes with fighting for her life. She is still fighting. She is still recovering. She still has a long road ahead. But this time, she doesn't have to walk it alone. For much of this fight, she has faced appointments, treatments, hospital rooms, and some incredibly difficult days with very little support around her. That is where I come in. Marie is my friend. After watching her fight for so long, I knew I couldn't stand on the sidelines anymore. I am here with her now, helping her navigate this next chapter and making sure she has someone beside her through the hard days, the uncertainty, and the victories. Our goal is to bring Marie to Oklahoma on September 30th, if she is medically cleared to travel, so she can continue receiving the care she needs while finally having a support system around her. She has fought long enough alone. It is time she has people around her who care about her, who will show up, and who will walk beside her through this fight. Oklahoma isn't about leaving cancer behind. It's about giving Marie the support she needs to keep fighting. When she beats this beast again, she wants to rebuild her life in Oklahoma permanently; surrounded by people who care about her and who will continue walking beside her long after the hospital stays and treatments are over. She wants the chance to simply live. To make plans. Take road trips. Watch sunsets. Laugh until her stomach hurts. And experience the ordinary things most of us take for granted. Getting her to Oklahoma is only the beginning. She will still have medical appointments, follow-up care, medications, transportation needs, food, bills, and the everyday expenses that come with continuing treatment and starting over. We are working to give her a financial cushion so she can focus on what matters most: fighting, healing, and eventually rebuilding her life. Marie has already shown just how strong she is. Now she deserves to know she doesn't have to be strong alone. We aren't asking anyone to fight her battle for her. She has proven she can fight. We're asking you to stand beside her. Every meal, donation, encouraging message, and act of kindness helps remind this warrior that she is no longer fighting alone. This time, she has people beside her and we're going to keep walking with her until she wins... for good this time.