When a Utah mother of two learned she had three months to live, she began planning her funeral.
Erika Diarte Carr, 33, was hospitalized for shoulder surgery in May 2022 when she learned on GoFundMe that she had stage 4 small cell lung cancer, a rare cancer. did.
The young mother began treatment for cancer, but was dealt another blow in January when she was diagnosed with Cushing's syndrome.
The cause of Cushing's excess stress hormones cortisol in the body. Symptoms include weight gain, rounding of the face, and high blood pressure, which can be fatal if left untreated.
Only 40 to 70 people per million people are affected by Cushing's syndrome, making this syndrome extremely rare. According to the National Institutes of Health.
Diarte Carr said she saw an oncologist on September 18 and was told that treatment was not working.
“I was given three months to live,” Diarte Carr wrote on GoFundMe. “Three months to spend with my baby and my loved ones. Three months to make the most of the time I have left. I need to spend the next few months making sure my kids are okay after I'm gone.” I am now facing the most difficult task of planning my own funeral.
Diarte Carr said she was unable to work for several months.
“I have no savings or life insurance for this situation,” she wrote. “We looked at the costs and we need to raise about $5,000 to make sure we cover the funeral costs, plus we want to leave something for the baby.”
The GoFundMe page was set up shortly after Diarte-Carr learned about her illness, when she was just 30 years old.
As of Saturday afternoon, more than $840,000 had been raised from more than 29,000 donations, significantly exceeding the original goal of $5,000.
Humble Diarte Carr said any money left over after the funeral is covered will be put into a trust fund for her children, Jeremiah, 7, and Aaliyah, 5.
“That way I can leave them something and ensure they are okay as they grow up,” she wrote.
“My family and I thank you all from the bottom of our hearts,” she wrote, adding:[My children] It is my whole life, light and soul. My children are my battle and the driving force that keeps me going. ”
The three are planning to travel together soon, and Diarte-Carr hopes they can spend their last Christmas together.
