ABOUT CERA
Looking at someone in their 30’s who owns their own sailboat its hard to imagine anything other than an exciting adventure into this nomadic lifestyle but Cera’s story has been anything other than glamorous.
Detailed in her upcoming Vlog it includes buying her first sailboat, sight unseen, without a survey from across the world. The boat goes missing, Captains quit, anchors drag, collisions happen, Ceras outcasted from an anchorage and robbed for over 15k in electronics among many other first time boat owner oddities and challenges.
WHY HELP
They say you get what you give in life but I’m here to tell you life’s not always so fair about what it gives back. For the past two years Cera has pushed herself to the brink keeping a small business alive through Covid and economic recession. Buying Walrus was the first thing Cera truly did for herself and even that was as turbulent of a start as could be. Partly due to being so novice but also due to the series of unfortunate events that seem to always be teaching Cera how to overcome the next hurdle. But this hurdle she should not be facing alone, Cancer is the kind of hurdle we ban together and carry each other through.
Just 8 months into solo boat ownership Cera was diagnosed with Stage 4 Metastatic Adenocarcinoma. Cera is now learning to liveaboard, sail, fix and adapt her entire lifestyle in a country she does not have health care in with a terminal Cancer diagnosis. She has survived this way for the past 10 months working 3 jobs to supplement her increased medication costs but would truly benefit from the opportunity to slow down and heal without the financial stress of being without a support network or subsidy.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
Whats the obvious answer?
Sell the boat and move back to Canada you say? The months prior to diagnosis all Ceras’ land belongings were donated and purged, she packed her three story home of ten years up and moved across the continent to the boat with 3 animals and a few suitcases. Not only is going back to Canada starting completely over from scratch, but the rental market has gone up over 55% making it financially unfeasible for healthy people to support themselves, let alone someone so sick. Cera would be forced to get rid of the animals shes had for over 15 years to stay in Calgary, she would also end up working way too much as an escape to not being near the water which can have a very negative affect on a healing mind state.
Do treatment and continue your dreams after? In a perfect world that sounds great, and everyone knows someone who had some type of cancer and recovered or did _____ but the reality of this situation is being diagnosed stage 4 is a lot different experience and range of options than any other cancer diagnosis.
Every day doctors tell me how this is likely the best I will feel and they expect things to get worse, there’s a small chance things may get better for a period before continuing to get worse. When chemo isn’t even offered as a hopeful treatment to extend life expectancy, there’s no “I’ll just do this for now until I feel better and can go sailing again, there’s only now or never”.
Ceras’ best option is to work as fast and hard towards living her dreams in this moment. Unfortunately, that like most things, is easier said than done. Thats where you and your help come in. Cera is the exact person, in the exact situation that deserves resources like go fund me, yet has the kind of heart she never wants to burden asking others.
Cera needs help with her medical costs and her boat expenses to make her dreams come true. We have set up a list of her medications you can direct purchase to help Cera out, as well as an amazon wish list and boat part list. We also have a direct donation link if you’d like to help with food and general living expenses. If you want to help, if you can help, please do! If not feel free to follow along on her vlogs or visit her business Obsession Spa as other ways to show love!
WHY CANT THE PINK RIBBON HELP
Many people think because there is a pink ribbon on just about everything you buy these days that there are a lot of help or resources for breast cancer victims but that just isn’t the case. Stage four is the most severe stage one can experience and the actual resources beyond online support groups has been underwhelming to say the least. It is widely known how sick cancer makes you, how it is nearly impossible to carry out a normal work or life routine, yet nothing for financial resources when you are unable to support yourself due to this illness. Cera is working with a group of social workers at the cancer foundation and has applied for all applicable resources and remains battling this completely on her own.