A group of Dunwoody residents who have been assisting a terminally ill woman and her 11-year-old daughter have succeeded in fulfilling one of her final bucket list items as time grows short.
Doctors have told Regina Cleveland, who has Stage 4 colon cancer that her life expectancy is now only about three to six months as the disease spreads throughout her body.
A group of Dunwoody residents have raised money for Cleveland and her daughter Bella’s housing, medication, meals and living expenses. Bella is a sixth grade student at Peachtree Middle School.
“The little girl in this story is one of our own,” Erika Harris, one of the organizers, said. “Our community has always done such an incredible job of supporting one another in challenging times.”
The last “ask,” Harris said, was to fund a trip for a mother-daughter trip to New York City for a two-day vacation during DeKalb County Schools’ fall break that starts on Oct. 12. After the effort went public, enough money was raised to make the trip a reality.
“I’m flabbergasted by how Dunwoody stepped up,” Harris said.
“Regina, who grew up in poverty and receives very little support from disability, has never been on an airplane. She’s never even been to an airport. Neither has Bella,” Harris said. “Before cancer, this was one of Regina’s dreams, to be able to fly to New York and walk off a plane hand-in-hand with her daughter to see the city she has always read about in books and seen on TV.”
“We can’t cure Regina’s cancer and we can’t buy her more time with her young daughter,” she continued. “But we can make this dream come true and we can give Bella a beautiful memory with her mom to carry with her forever.”
A friend of Regina and Belle began a GoFundMe a few months ago, which is still active for future needs. The site details Cleveland’s successful recovery from addiction, her dedication to helping others who are suffering a similar fate, and her journey after being diagnosed with inoperable colon cancer two years ago.
“Regina’s journey has been one of resilience and courage facing each day with grace and an unwavering spirit of hope,” the GoFundMe page said. “Just as Regina was on the cusp of launching a non-profit organization (after becoming certified as a Peer-to-Peer specialist) to support women in active addiction, fate dealt her the news of her diagnosis.”
Those needing more information about the effort or wishing to purchase airline tickets or donate SkyMiles can email Harris.