Cancer Surviving Single Mom Seeks Grant Money For Self And ADHD Son

by Frances Strickland
(Henderson, NC, USA)

Hello. My name is Frances Strickland. I am a single mother of 2 boys (Don 13 and David 11), a loving daughter and a college student.

I am 33 years old, and a 3-year, Stage 3 breast cancer survivor.

My kids have mental and physical disabilities. Don has ADHD, while David has high maintenance Asperger's Syndrome.

Three months after I turned 30 years old I was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer.

While having 26 straight weeks of chemotherapy my cancer went away, but then while taking radiation I had a different breast cancer come back in my left breast.

After 3 months of radiation I had to have my left breast removed.

I am now limited to what I can do on my left side due to limited use of left side muscle numbness, 13 surgeries in less than 2 years, and 13 lymph nodes removed.

I have a section from the middle of my chest to my shoulder blade that has no feeling while it goes from 3 inches below my collar bone to 4 inches above my navel also that has no feelings, all due to the traumatic surgeries I have had.

I am on disability with a check coming in for $827 a month and David gets a check for $432 a month.

This is the only income that we have coming in to pay the phone bill, car payment, car insurance, house insurance, house taxes, my college expenses, the light bill, not to mention my medications that cost over $50 a month.

David and I are receiving SSI and I am receiving a FAFSA grant for my college, which is Colorado Technical University.

My boys and I are in need of financial help with our bills, while I need help paying for college so that I can better myself as well as my kids' future.

I am enrolled in accounting so that I may get a bachelor's degree. That way I can work from home while taking care of my youngest son David.