My Story: Finding Hope and Support When Everything Fell Apart

On December 24, 2024, I underwent my second bone marrow biopsy after months of searching for answers about my health. A few weeks later, on January 15, 2025, I was diagnosed with a blood cancer known as a myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN).

Unexpectedly alone with blood cancer

What I didn't know at the time was that my diagnosis would be only the beginning of a year that would change my life forever. Just three days before my diagnosis, my fiancé of 18 years unexpectedly left. We had celebrated the holidays together, and I truly believed we were happy. There were no signs that I recognized. Then one day he took his paycheck, walked out, and never came back.

Overnight, everything changed. After spending many years as a housewife, I suddenly found myself alone, facing a cancer diagnosis, overwhelming bills, and an uncertain future. I was left trying to figure out how to support myself while navigating one of the most difficult moments of my life. Determined not to give up, I began looking for work.

A job and new motivation

In February 2025, a company in Reading, Pennsylvania, gave me an opportunity that changed my life. After being out of the workforce for many years, returning to work was intimidating. The company took a chance on me when I desperately needed one. For the first time in many years, I wasn't just surviving—I was rebuilding my independence.

I worked hard every day because I was grateful for the opportunity. I learned quickly, took pride in my work, and was eventually training new employees despite still being relatively new myself. My supervisors recognized my dedication, and I was being considered for a permanent position in the Heavy Gauge Department once I reached my six-month mark.

Still hopeful despite high-risk treatment

That same month, life threw another challenge my way. During a severe winter ice storm around Super Bowl weekend, a young driver lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a parked SUV, which was pushed into my brand-new 2025 SUV.

The impact pushed my vehicle back an entire parking space. My insurance company declared my SUV a total loss. At the time, it felt devastating. However, losing the vehicle also freed me from an $800 monthly payment that I could no longer afford, allowing me to purchase a used 2017 vehicle that better fit my financial situation.

As the months passed, symptoms from my blood cancer became more noticeable. In August 2025, I began treatment with Jakafi, a high-risk medication that requires careful handling precautions. Every dose served as a reminder that I was fighting a disease that would impact every part of my life. Despite my diagnosis, I continued working and doing everything I could to move forward.

Then it all fell apart

Then, on October 17, 2025, I suffered broken ribs and was forced onto medical leave. My employer once again supported me by helping me obtain short-term disability benefits. Unfortunately, surviving on approximately half of my normal income quickly became overwhelming. The bills continued to grow. Month after month, I watched my financial stability disappear.

Despite doing everything I could, I began losing the things I had worked so hard to maintain. The stress of battling cancer, being unable to work, and trying to survive financially eventually led to eviction proceedings and the very real possibility of homelessness. Those were some of the darkest days of my life.

Help came in many forms

Thankfully, I was not alone. The Patient Advocate Foundation and PAN Foundation became lifelines when I needed help the most. Through their programs, I became connected with an incredible case manager, who was much more than a case manager. She encouraged me when I felt defeated, guided me through difficult decisions, and stood beside me throughout the eviction process. During some of the hardest moments of my journey, she felt more like family than a professional contact. Her support reminded me that I was not facing these challenges alone.

The Salvation Army Housing Program in Reading, Pennsylvania, also played a critical role in helping me rebuild my life. Two employees from the Department of Housing worked tirelessly to help me navigate financial challenges and housing obstacles that often felt impossible to overcome.

Compassion and understanding meant safety and security

Another person who changed my life works for a property management company. At a time when I was on medical leave, living on short-term disability, facing eviction, and battling cancer, she chose to give me a chance. She worked closely with my case manager throughout the process and held an apartment for me while I worked through the eviction proceedings and housing approvals.

She did not have to do that. Given my circumstances, she could have easily denied my application and moved on to another applicant. Instead, she chose compassion and understanding. Because of the property manager's willingness to believe in me, I was able to secure safe and stable housing during one of the most difficult periods of my life.

Rebuilding my life with gratitude

On May 1, 2026, I moved into my new one-bedroom apartment. Leaving behind a six-bedroom, two-bathroom home and moving into a one-bedroom apartment was emotional. It represented everything I had lost. But it also represented something even more important: a new beginning. For the first time in a long time, I had a place to call my own.

Today, I continue my fight against blood cancer. I remain on medical leave while attending medical appointments, physical therapy, and occupational therapy. My goal is to return to work as soon as I am medically cleared, hopefully by August 2026. Returning to work means more than earning a paycheck. It represents independence, purpose, and another step forward in rebuilding my life.

Sustained through cancer by kindness

This journey has taught me that resilience is not about avoiding hardship. It is about finding the strength to keep moving forward despite it. I lost my relationship, my financial stability, my home, and many of the things I once thought defined me.

But I also discovered strength I never knew I possessed and experienced the kindness of people who chose to help when I needed it most.

Still here and still fighting

Cancer did not break me.
Heartbreak did not break me.
Losing my home did not break me.
Instead, these challenges showed me how strong I truly am.
I am still here.
I am still fighting.
And because of the support of compassionate people and organizations who believed in me during my darkest moments, I finally have hope for the future.