Before cancer entered her life, Tori was constantly on the move. She worked full time across four different jobs, including bartending, managing, social media work, a cleaning job, and internet sales. Outside of work, she was deeply involved with friends and devoted to being a full time mom to her young son. Life was busy, demanding, and full.
Tori first went to her primary care doctor for what seemed like a routine issue. After being referred to a GI specialist and undergoing X rays, things escalated quickly. She was sent for a STAT CT scan and received a phone call that same day urging her to go to the emergency room immediately. Doctors discovered a large tumor in her abdomen, cancerous nodules in her lungs, and blood clots in her chest.
After days of testing in the hospital, Tori met with an oncologist who delivered devastating news. She had stage 4 ovarian cancer.
“The diagnosis felt like my life was taken from me,” Tori shared. “The decision to ever have more children was suddenly gone. I felt completely overwhelmed by the uncertainty of my future.”
Over time, Tori reframed her diagnosis not as an ending, but as a journey. Leaning into her faith, she chose to focus on growth, strength, and positivity, even in the midst of fear.
The Financial Reality of Cancer
Cancer did not only take an emotional toll. It quickly created financial hardship as well.
Chemotherapy made it impossible for Tori to continue bartending, and her doctors advised her to stop working in that role. The social media job tied to that position was also taken away because she could no longer be present for events. Eventually, her full time desk job in internet sales became unsustainable due to constant fatigue and illness from treatment.
The only work she was able to keep was her cleaning job, which provided income just twice a month. For someone who had always worked hard and provided independently for herself and her son, this sudden loss of income was overwhelming.
“I had savings, and I am grateful for that,” she said. “But as the sole provider for everything, it drained very quickly.”
Learning to Ask for Help
Tori first learned about Vickie’s Angel Foundation through her social worker, who described the organization as extremely helpful. Still, reaching out did not come easily.
“I’ve always prided myself on my independence,” Tori explained. “Asking for help, especially financially, felt like a personal failure for me and for my son.”
Her diagnosis shifted that perspective. Tori began to see that asking for help was not weakness, but an act of trust and connection with others who genuinely wanted to support her.
When Support Becomes Hope
Vickie’s Angel Foundation stepped in at a critical moment. The Foundation covered two months of Tori’s rent and electric bill, ensuring that she and her son could remain in a warm, stable home.
“Each time they told me my rent was taken care of, I cried tears of relief,” she shared. “It gave me a sense of security that I desperately needed.”
The support extended beyond bills. During the holidays, when finances were especially tight, Vickie’s Angel Foundation provided Christmas gifts for Tori’s son.
“Seeing the excitement and joy on my son’s face was unforgettable,” she said. “I could not afford many gifts that year, and their generosity changed everything. It lifted such a heavy weight during the holidays.”
Her family felt the impact too. Tori’s mother was so grateful that she cried, knowing how much her daughter had been struggling.
Redefining Normal
Since her diagnosis, Tori’s priorities have shifted. She focuses more clearly on what truly matters and lets go of what does not.
“One way I manage is by redefining what normal looks like,” she explained. “Bald Tori is normal Tori. Tired Tori is normal Tori. Tori on chemotherapy is normal Tori. This is my life right now, and that is okay.”
By giving herself grace and being kind to her body, Tori continues to push forward one day at a time.
What Hope Means
For Tori, hope is not abstract. It is active and powerful.
“Hope is what drives me toward the finish line I envision,” she said. “It outweighs fear. Every cancer patient needs to remember that.”
On the hardest days, her greatest motivation is her son. Walks with her dog, time with friends and family, and moments in nature help her stay grounded and focused.
“Cancer will not define me,” Tori said. “It is part of my journey, but it is not who I am.”
A Message for Others
When people read her story, Tori hopes they walk away with one simple message.
“Be kind to yourself,” she said. “Do not be afraid of cancer. Life is not any less beautiful because of it.”
She still finds joy in nature, in relationships, and in simply feeling the morning air. Cancer is a rollercoaster, but Tori believes it does not take away the ability to live a meaningful and beautiful life.
“I look for the most positive thing in every day,” she shared. “God has given me this journey for a reason, and I trust that His plans and purpose will unfold.”
At Vickie’s Angel Foundation, stories like Tori’s remind us why we do what we do. When the burden of cancer becomes too heavy, hope, compassion, and community can make all the difference.
Vickie’s Angel Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to providing a temporary financial bridge to help families battling cancer. We provide financial support for essential, non-medical needs such as rent, mortgage payment, utilities, transportation, and food. The foundation operates in an effort to remove the toxic stress of unpaid bills so the individual and their family can focus on their health. Through community-driven fundraising events, corporate partnerships, and generous individual donations, Vickie’s Angel Foundation ensures that 100% of donations directly support families in need. Guided by the values of love, faith, and hope, the foundation has touched thousands of lives by offering not only financial relief but also compassion and encouragement during some of life’s most difficult moments.
In order to give 100% to those in need, we are supported by Guardian Angels.
For many years, Charity Navigator has consistently rated us a four-star charity. As the foremost nonprofit evaluator globally, Charity Navigator has scrutinized close to 200,000 charities, evaluating their financial stability, commitment to best practices, as well as their accountability, transparency, and impact. Check out our profile here.