Meet Cara and Her Family
Cara is a wife, a mother, and a fighter living with metastatic breast cancer. She shares her life with her husband Jeremy and their two young sons, Hans and Jesse.
Her journey began while she was pregnant with her second son. Diagnosed with early-stage triple negative breast cancer, Cara gave birth three weeks early and had just one week with her newborn before beginning scans, tests, and treatment. At only three and a half weeks old, her baby was by her side as she started chemotherapy.
What followed has been a relentless and exhausting fight. Over the past three years, Cara has endured extensive chemotherapy, surgeries, radiation, and multiple brain tumors that required two major neurosurgeries. These procedures left her with significant physical impairments, including left side paralysis, requiring ongoing rehabilitation.
She has worked tirelessly to regain strength and mobility, but the challenges remain. Fatigue, physical limitations, and the emotional toll of living with advanced cancer have reshaped every part of her life. The hardest part, she shared, is not knowing how much time she has, along with the exhaustion that comes from constant treatment and recovery.
Through it all, Cara has remained remarkably positive, holding onto what matters most, her family.
Their One Day to Remember
When Cara was asked what her dream outing would look like, her answer came quickly. She wanted to go camping with her family.
For their One Day to Remember, Cara, Jeremy, and their boys traveled to Presque Isle State Park along Lake Erie, where they spent time together camping in a fully set up RV.
Every detail was thoughtfully taken care of. The RV was delivered and ready upon arrival, stocked with groceries, supplies, and special surprises for the boys. From flashlights and games to s’mores supplies and a Bluetooth lantern they loved, the experience was designed to make the entire trip effortless and joyful.
The campground offered space to explore and play, with activities like fishing, a playground, and time spent simply being outside together. Just a short drive away, the family visited the beach, where they played in the sand, searched for rocks and shells, and ran through the waves.
The day was beautifully captured by photographer Snapshots by Sean, including sunset photos on the beach that now preserve those moments forever.
More Than Just One Day
For Cara, the most meaningful part of the experience was seeing her children so happy.
After years of hospital stays, treatments, and physical limitations, watching her sons laugh, play, and experience pure joy meant everything. For that time, the weight of cancer faded into the background.
She shared that despite being physically weak and navigating the lasting effects of treatment, she felt strong in a different way. Strong enough to show up, to walk on the beach with a cane, and to be present with her family.
In those moments, nothing else mattered except being together.
Why This Day Mattered
Cara described her life as being consumed by cancer. Appointments, treatments, scans, phone calls, and the constant logistics of managing illness leave very little space for anything else.
This day changed that.
It gave her family the chance to step away from the overwhelming reality of cancer and focus on what truly matters. Time together. Laughter. Connection. Rest.
She shared that this experience reminded her family to be present, to cherish their time together, and to keep going for the people they love.
For Cara, this was more than a trip. It was the realization of something she had been longing for, a chance to just be together as a family.
It was a memory they will carry with them forever.
At One Day to Remember, this is why we exist. To give families like Cara’s the opportunity to pause, breathe, and create meaningful moments that last far beyond a single day.
“This trip reminded us to be present, to cherish time with loved ones, to focus on what truly matters, to slow down, and to allow ourselves to rest. It reminded us to never give up—to keep going for the people we love.
So thank you again to One Day to Remember, and to all of you whose support and donations make experiences like this possible.
We are so grateful.”
- Cara