If you know my mom, you know she?s strong, stubborn, and fiercely independent?qualities I?ve admired my whole life. She has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer, and those qualities still remain. So, this fundraiser isn?t just about raising money- it?s about showing my mom she?s not facing this climb by herself.

By purchasing a shirt or sweatshirt, you will help cover the costs of driving back and forth to Bismarck for treatments, food, and places to stay while she?s there. My main hope is to lift some of the extra burdens so she can focus on what matters the most--healing.

I wanted to make the t-shirt design personal to her journey. The phrase on the front, "There?s More to Gain from the Climb," is in reference to something she said soon after she got the diagnosis that stuck with me; "I have been in tough situations before and there is much more to gain by climbing this mountain than by sitting at the bottom saying, "I can't." The backside features a quote from a poem by Naomi Shihab Nye, an author my mom studies with her English classes.

This shirt isn?t just for her, it?s for anyone who needs to be reminded that while the climb is hard, there?s always something to gain from it.

Thank you for helping me support the strongest woman I know. My main goal is to make sure she knows doesn?t have to climb this mountain alone.