Help a sister activist fight cancer
Donation protected
From Gloria Nieto
Over the years I have given as often as I can to GoFundMe appeals. People in need, animals needing care, giving where I could make a difference. I never imagined I would need a GoFundMe page for myself!
But, never say never: here I am asking you to help me pay for my slew of medical bills and other costs related to what could be a long and uncertain fight.
During my working career, I have been an activist. Most of the activist work I did was volunteer. I was successful on the struggle for LGBT rights, having gotten passed an ENDA and Hate Crimes bill in New Mexico that were both transgender inclusive. That was the first time in the country that two inclusive bills were passed in the same session. Jo and I have been named Women of the Year, Grand Marshalls of three different Pride parades where have lived. We were also honored with Lifetime Achievement awards in Santa Cruz and our work is honored at the Museum of Art and History in Santa Cruz. We have sat at the bedsides of our dying friends who left us way too young due to AIDS. I am the first Latina Lesbian to address a Presidential convention. In years past, I was part of the LGBT meeting with President Clinton. I have also been part of numerous conversations in the Senate and House regarding immigration and LGBT rights.
Then disaster struck.
In April 2018, I was hospitalized for extreme fatigue and other symptoms related to anemia. Part of my treatment was a colonoscopy. The doctor sent me home with a clean bill of health. In September, five months later, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer.
Believe me, I have spent many nights, lying awake, wondering what I could have done differently. The answer was nothing.
Things began to get better after the first hospital stay. After being unemployed for over 10 years I suddenly had three paying jobs! As a Master Gardener I have helped bring my knowledge to various places and this resulted in people wanting to hire me. I can’t tell you just how good that felt to have three gardening jobs. Yay! If you’ve ever spent any time being unemployed when you didn’t want to be, you know what I mean.
As with most jobs like this, it was seasonal. Working on a farm, teaching kids how to garden, teaching residents of the local jail how to garden. By September, I was down to one job.
But when I got sick and started chemo I was let go from my job at the jail during my first week of chemo. As a contractor I had no recourse to fight back.
What we need now
Right now Jo’s pay covers our housing and the other usual living expenses. We don’t have much wiggle room to pay the bills that are coming in from the chemotherapy and the multitudes of tests, scans, blood transfusions, etc. that are part of this battle, so the bills are piling up and we don’t know the full extent just yet.
Yes, we have insurance, but the parts that are left for me to pay are huge. Plus needed nutrients to make up for my inability to eat, more vitamins to help my skin and hair (or lack thereof), changing things like toothpaste because my old toothpaste burned my lips, all of these unexpected expenses add up!
We would like to ask you for any donation you can easily give. I have sent small donations to organizations whose work I care about. Now I am asking for the same help to get through this incredibly stressful time in my life.
Can you please donate to this Fund? I ask for your gift to help buy the food supplements I need when I can’t eat. I am asking for help to be able to pay for the extra utilities that I need to stay warm during this time of year. And, I’m asking for support for medical expenses that insurance won’t cover. Most of all I just ask that you consider contributing in some way!
Thank you for being such a vital part of my family and community and most of all, my recovery.
With love and gratitude,
Glo
Over the years I have given as often as I can to GoFundMe appeals. People in need, animals needing care, giving where I could make a difference. I never imagined I would need a GoFundMe page for myself!
But, never say never: here I am asking you to help me pay for my slew of medical bills and other costs related to what could be a long and uncertain fight.
During my working career, I have been an activist. Most of the activist work I did was volunteer. I was successful on the struggle for LGBT rights, having gotten passed an ENDA and Hate Crimes bill in New Mexico that were both transgender inclusive. That was the first time in the country that two inclusive bills were passed in the same session. Jo and I have been named Women of the Year, Grand Marshalls of three different Pride parades where have lived. We were also honored with Lifetime Achievement awards in Santa Cruz and our work is honored at the Museum of Art and History in Santa Cruz. We have sat at the bedsides of our dying friends who left us way too young due to AIDS. I am the first Latina Lesbian to address a Presidential convention. In years past, I was part of the LGBT meeting with President Clinton. I have also been part of numerous conversations in the Senate and House regarding immigration and LGBT rights.
Then disaster struck.
In April 2018, I was hospitalized for extreme fatigue and other symptoms related to anemia. Part of my treatment was a colonoscopy. The doctor sent me home with a clean bill of health. In September, five months later, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer.
Believe me, I have spent many nights, lying awake, wondering what I could have done differently. The answer was nothing.
Things began to get better after the first hospital stay. After being unemployed for over 10 years I suddenly had three paying jobs! As a Master Gardener I have helped bring my knowledge to various places and this resulted in people wanting to hire me. I can’t tell you just how good that felt to have three gardening jobs. Yay! If you’ve ever spent any time being unemployed when you didn’t want to be, you know what I mean.
As with most jobs like this, it was seasonal. Working on a farm, teaching kids how to garden, teaching residents of the local jail how to garden. By September, I was down to one job.
But when I got sick and started chemo I was let go from my job at the jail during my first week of chemo. As a contractor I had no recourse to fight back.
What we need now
Right now Jo’s pay covers our housing and the other usual living expenses. We don’t have much wiggle room to pay the bills that are coming in from the chemotherapy and the multitudes of tests, scans, blood transfusions, etc. that are part of this battle, so the bills are piling up and we don’t know the full extent just yet.
Yes, we have insurance, but the parts that are left for me to pay are huge. Plus needed nutrients to make up for my inability to eat, more vitamins to help my skin and hair (or lack thereof), changing things like toothpaste because my old toothpaste burned my lips, all of these unexpected expenses add up!
We would like to ask you for any donation you can easily give. I have sent small donations to organizations whose work I care about. Now I am asking for the same help to get through this incredibly stressful time in my life.
Can you please donate to this Fund? I ask for your gift to help buy the food supplements I need when I can’t eat. I am asking for help to be able to pay for the extra utilities that I need to stay warm during this time of year. And, I’m asking for support for medical expenses that insurance won’t cover. Most of all I just ask that you consider contributing in some way!
Thank you for being such a vital part of my family and community and most of all, my recovery.
With love and gratitude,
Glo
Organizer
Gloria Nieto
Organizer
Ben Lomond, CA
