Why I Started B.R.A.S.
I did everything right.
I saved my money. I worked hard. I served my country in the US Army. I spent years working as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) — including through the COVID-19 pandemic — caring for others while the world was falling apart.
In July 2021, I bought my home with the money I'd worked hard for.
Three Months Later, Everything Changed
In October, I was diagnosed with Stage 2, HER2+ breast cancer.
I began chemo right away — three drugs from November through February. Then I had surgery, expecting good news — but the cancer was still there. I was told I needed six weeks of radiation, twice a day, five days a week, and another full year of chemo.
I Was Fighting Cancer - I Was Also Fighting Foreclosure
I contacted my mortgage lender and asked for a loan modification. They kept requesting the same documents, over and over, for months.
Then one day, someone showed up at my door and handed me foreclosure papers.
I was bald, sick, and in treatment. Now, I was losing my home.
I Filed for Bankruptcy to Keep My Home
I hired an attorney and filed Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Only after I filed did the mortgage company finally approve the modification. But by then, the damage was done — I was already in bankruptcy.
My perfect credit was gone. My savings were drained. I couldn't work. Even with VA medical care, the bills didn't stop.
I Had Help, But It Still Wasn’t Enough
A relative started a GoFundMe. Friends and family helped cover bills and groceries. But they had their own struggles, and their help couldn't stretch forever.
I was — and always will be — grateful. But I was still sinking. My husband did all he could, but one income couldn't carry us both.
I Went on Job Interviews While Still in Chemo
I knew I had to work. I'd been a nurse (LPN) for nearly 20 years, but chemo brain made me forget things I'd known my whole career. I sat in interviews fumbling through basic questions.
It was humiliating. But I had no choice. I had to save my home.
Someone Gave Me a Chance
Eventually, a healthcare employer took a chance on me. I went back to work while still receiving chemotherapy, and slowly, I began to crawl my way out.
But the truth is — I was lucky. Most women aren't.
Turning My Story Into Purpose
I created The B.R.A.S. Foundation because I know what it's like to fight for your life and your home at the same time.
This isn't charity — it's survival. If I can help one woman stay housed during treatment, everything I endured will have meant something.
Survival and Shelter. Both on the line. The battle was never jus
Please - Help Another Woman Keep Her Home
I know what it's like to fight for your life and your home at the same time — and no one should have to face that alone. Your donation provides rent or mortgage payments for breast cancer patients in crisis, so they can focus on healing instead of losing everything they've worked for.