Kiauna’s Story | June 2021

Kiauna’s Story | June 2021

Imagine doing your cancer treatment by yourself. No one should feel alone on their journey. That shouldn’t happen. Imagine just having no support. Imagine you’re staring at a utility bill that you have no idea how you’re going to pay it, you’ve been laid off from your job and you are about ready to lose your home. Imagine having cancer on top of that. The loneliness, the fear, the how am I going to do this with cancer? It doesn’t take a day off. It is with you day in and day out. Morning, noon and night. And to have all of these other things. Causing stress. That’s that’s really hard on that person. The Journey Fund was inspired by a need in the South Puget Sound to bring resources to cancer patients, whether it is paying a bill, providing clothes, providing some portion of rent or a utility bill to be paid. I think whenever you can give somebody something, you feel, it makes you feel good. But it also makes you feel like you want to do more. The first time I met Kiana, she was very open. She, you know, here she was not really knowing who I was and she was so willing to talk with me and share Her story. She had a whole lot more in front of her in the form of obstacles. Based on the time at which she was diagnosed and then a whole host of other personal things that were happening around her. And so I really felt compelled to want to learn more about her and to be able to help her and her family. My motivation was my children surviving it for them. You know. It was scary. I didn’t know what I was going to do. I just knew that I had to just move forward and get it done, taking care of. I believe I was at home and I got a call that I was going to get help. And I talked to Mary and it was just really nice to talk to her and she gave me some advice. And so that gave me comfort that someone else knew what I was going through, and I went ahead and she helped me to continue with the process of my healing. I’m looking forward to life. It’s just. I enjoy life a lot better now. It’s it’s. What I do look forward to, hopefully soon it’s just being on a beach with my kids. And just enjoy life. I just. I have a lot to look forward to.