In Oct 2020, Michelle Sykes, a young mother of 2 living outside of Sacramento, CA developed strange symptoms. Her husband, Jon, noticed that she was struggling to compose a text message and had developed a headache.  They went to the ER, where due to Covid restrictions, Jon was not allowed to accompany Michelle as she was evaluated and admitted to the hospital.  She received a diagnosis of a large mass in the frontal lobe of her brain and spent several days in the hospital for additional tests and a brain biopsy.  The couple waited anxiously for test results while Michelle recovered from the craniotomy required to do the biopsy.  Ultimately, Michelle was diagnosed with a Grade 2 astrocytoma (brain cancer) that is inoperable due to its size and location.  Her oncology team has developed a regimen of 7 weeks of radiation followed by up to 6 months of chemotherapy.  She is being treated with steroids and seizure-prevention medications but continues to suffer from headaches and difficulty with writing and speech.

    This is far from the first obstacle the Sykes family has faced.  Two years ago, Michelle was pregnant with their second child when she developed complications which led to her admission to UCSF before she ultimately went into labor at 27 weeks.  Michelle and baby Abigail battled for their health then, as Michelle battles now.  Today, Abigail is a 2-year old miracle warrior baby, having survived a 4-month NICU stay, a heart surgery, and a feeding tube until her 1st birthday.

    Coronavirus brought a new set of struggles, as Jon was laid off from his job of 16 years when the location where he worked closed down.  He is currently taking care of Michelle and their two children as Michelle recovers and prepares for months of treatments.

    We heard about Michelle and her family and wanted to make life just a little easier by donating 10% of your Black Friday Sale to the family to help with medical and household expenses.

Thank You!

Together we are making a difference!

Because of your purchases, we have contributed to the Sykes Family GoFundMe page!

You too can help by visiting their GoFund Me page!

The Giving