Story

GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/join-kais-fight-for-health-and-hope Kai is a 33-year-old non-profit worker and survivor of Stage 3 Ovarian cancer (2021). She has spent the last 14 years working in and with public schools and community-based organizations, particularly around music and educational equity. She has also written for several papers under a pseudonym and places a lot of importance on community, friends, and family. In mid-October, an Emergency Room visit due to back and shoulder pain revealed shadows under her right lung, and further scans revealed several mid-size tumors in the lower right lobe despite being young and a non-smoker. Although we have caught the metastatic cancer before it spread further in the body, it is still late-stage and requires multiple rounds of biomarking tests and will need chemotherapy, and likely radiation and immunotherapy to be determined by her additional biopsies. Kai's previous health issues have caused complications in receiving treatment and require extra testing. Unfortunately, even with insurance, this means that in just one month thousands of dollars have racked up in medical bills, which will only continue to rise over time, along with lost wages and rising cost of living. Lung Cancer is notorious for long treatment times, ranging from several months to years. You can help monetarily through the GoFundMe linked to this page, for those who would like to help more tangibly, we are setting up a meal train to make sure Kai can eat healthy and preserve energy.

Special Notes

During active treatment, please make sure to mask when visiting. If you do not have a KN95, one can be provided for you! Dietary Needs: Kai has no food allergies but is trying to adhere to a cancer-friendly diet, which means there are things to avoid or limit. NO: Raw fish, raw leafy vegetables, unpasteurized dairy, deli meats, anything containing nitrates, pork, or fatty beef Avoid: Full-fat dairy, deep-fried foods, fish with high mercury content, refined sugar or high sugar content, raw white onion, or 'slimey' vegetables Preferences: Kai has learned through her previous chemotherapy that foods with strong flavors and tastes are best at fighting the 'poison flavor' that food often acquires during treatment. Stews, curries, chilis, and spices, are all great for this. Lean and plant-based protein, whole grains, healthy fats (ex: avocado, walnuts), and vegetables (especially if they can be mixed in). Kai is also open to healthy baked goods to cure sweet tooth cravings, especially containing banana and stone fruits.