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Happy Beginnings

Kiyania B. grew up in South Carolina, surrounded by a large, blended family of six children. Raised by her mother and stepfather, Kiyania understood the value of support and community from an early age. In 2010, while pursuing her bachelor’s degree in psychology, she met her future husband, Donald, a fellow student who shared her commitment to helping others. Kiyania’s passion for caring for others drove her to continue her studies to become a licensed therapist. She had no idea that while she was working towards her dreams, cancer was working its way through her body.

Battles with Cancer

In 2015, at just 23 years old, Kiyania was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The diagnosis was a shock, but Kiyania faced it with determination and resilience. She continued to work towards obtaining her master’s degree during treatment and was eventually able to move to Charlotte in 2018 to live with her partner, Donald. In 2019, now settled in Charlotte, Kiyania faced a recurrence of ovarian cancer. The battle was even tougher this time, with extensive treatments and surgeries. Before undergoing another surgery, she was advised to focus on preserving her fertility. The extensive nature of these treatments, while life-saving, meant saying goodbye to the possibility of carrying her own child.

Her second recurrence and third battle with ovarian cancer occurred in 2021, soon after she married Donald, and it proved the most challenging. Kiyania underwent an eight-hour surgery followed by six rounds of chemotherapy. These treatments were mentally, emotionally, and physically draining. Their extensive support system was instrumental in helping them push through the toughest times, but even still, Kiyania took several hits to her physical health.

The battle against cancer left Kiyania a different person each time, but with each fight, her determination to start a family with Donald only grew stronger. They began exploring surrogacy, a process filled with hope but also significant financial challenges. The cost of fertility treatment, including the creation of embryos and genetic testing, as well as the surrogacy itself, and the fees that come along with it were at a huge expense. Despite saving some money after navigating the cost of three different battles with cancer, the road ahead was daunting.

Impact of EMF’s SAMFund

Amidst these challenges, Kiyania came across the SAMFund Family Building grant from EMF. Receiving the grant a few months later gave Kiyania and Donald the financial help they needed to kickstart the process of starting a family.

The grant provided the financial support needed to pursue surrogacy after the heavy burden of cancer treatments. It alleviated emotional stress, giving Kiyania the option to start her family without major cost constraints, and played a vital role in allowing them to feel some relief in the process.

Kiyania Today

Kiyania and Donald signed with a surrogacy agency and are currently waiting to match with a surrogate. The financial support from EMF has helped cover the agency deposit, allowing them to begin the process of building their family. 

Kiyania’s story is one of courage, determination, and unwavering love. With the support of the SAMFund grant, she and her husband Donald are now on the path to starting a family through surrogacy. Their journey serves as an inspiration to others facing similar challenges, proving that dreams don’t diminish—they evolve.

About EMF’s SAMFund Grant Program

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Due to the high costs associated with treatment and survivorship, young adults experience financial toxicity at a greater level than any other age group.  SAMFund grants help to alleviate the financial burden resulting from cancer treatment.

Thank you to donors for supporting EMF’s SAMFund Grant Program. Because of your generosity, we are helping young adult cancer survivors build bridges to help them get where they were intended to go before cancer disrupted their lives.

What SAMFund Grant Recipients Say