May 30, 2025

My name is Erin Furriel. I am a divorced mother of two children. My son is 9 years old (almost 10). He has been diagnosed with ADHD, ODD, and severe anger outbursts. I am currently waiting to hear back from a Neuropsychologist. My daughter is 8 years old and has ADHD.

I recently started back on weekly Taxol infusions; I am currently on round 8 with no set number

Abusive marriage for almost 4 years. Out of the marriage, I was given two amazing children, and it has made me stronger. We then relocated to North Carolina, where we started a new life. My children’s father has chosen to be an absent parent and does not contribute child support. 

I was diagnosed on February 1, 2022, with Breast cancer stage 2. At the time, I was working for FedEx Express and loved it. The doctors found that I had two lumps in my right breast, and that it had metastasized to my lymph nodes. I went through eight rounds of chemotherapy, twenty-eight rounds of radiation. I also had a DMX with lymph node removal on both sides and directly to implants. The recovery time was over a year. 

After being cleared by my doctor, I returned to work. This time, it was the Child Development Center at MCCS. I loved spending time with the kids, working with children from 6 weeks old up to 5 years old. 

In March of 2024, I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, stage 4, in the pleural region of my right breast. April would have been 1 year NED. I went through all the testing and continued to work while taking chemotherapy. My treatment plan is 21 days of taking Kisqali and 7 days off, and every 4 weeks, I get Faslodex injections in my lower back. My employer and I concluded that my attendance was being drastically affected by my cancer. So, I was released from work in September.

I then applied for SS Disability and was approved in November 2024. My income is $1,179/month. My disability does not cover everything that I need to be able to support my two children. It does not cover all my bills. We receive food stamps and have meals brought to us by our church. We are also covered by Medicaid, so I owe nothing on medical bills, which has helped drastically.

One of my friends has stepped in to help pay for my car insurance, to make sure that I am covered on it. 

My cancer has limited my ability to work. I spend a lot of my time with children. We go on outings and spend our weekends playing video games. We each have an Xbox, tablets, and a Nintendo Switch. When I was diagnosed with cancer, I was able to provide so much for my children with no worries about how we were going to make it each month.

I shop at thrift stores to make ends meet for my children. Their school and afternoon sports, including soccer and taekwondo, are paid for by a scholarship.

I am asking for assistance to help offset the cost of some bills so that I can get my children some new clothing and shoes.

I also recently broke my leg in April while doing taekwondo. I had surgery and now have two screws in my left leg, and I am still walking with my brace and crutches.

Thank you. 

Erin Furriel