Chaya Maryan woke up on a Sunday morning and looked into the mirror. There were heavy bags under her eyes. Her cheeks had sunken in. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying.

She was dying. 

She dragged herself across the room, still weak from yesterday’s treatment, pulled out her Book of Psalms, and let it all out. Release. A full hour later, Chaya kissed the prayer book closed. She raised her eyes to the heaven. 

She knew what she had to do.

When Jewish people unite, anything can happen. And when a dying mother of five was at death’s door several weeks ago, she knew that it was time to channel the incredible power that exists within our nation: The power of love. Feeling instinctively that her days were numbered, the young 31 -year-old mother of five didn’t sugarcoat anything as she poured her heart out in a letter where she shared her remarkable story:

“I’m Chaya. I’m the mother of five wonderful kids and we live in Israel. When my youngest child was born, I started constantly feeling very lethargic and weak. It was very unlike my usual energetic self, so I visited a doctor who chalked it up to postpartum depression. But I was misdiagnosed. It was only a few months after that the doctors figured out what the real problem was:

I was in the throes of stage 4 cancer.

My husband and I were in complete shock. Suddenly, life became a whirlwind of chemotherapy and painful surgeries. He had to quit his job to take care of the kids and help me out with all of my constant surgeries and our finances took a major hit. We eventually had to pull out of all our savings just to put food on the table and pay our bills.

But the reason I am writing to you is because of this: The doctors have told us about an advanced treatment option that would drastically increase my chances of recovery. I would go back to being a mom, my husband and I could go back to our jobs, and life would be normal again for our family. But it is expensive. How can we do it when we are struggling to put food on the table for our kids?

Please help us- My children are so young, and they need a mother. Without this surgery, I am not likely to make it. Please, give me the chance of recovery, if not for my sake then for theirs. G-d should bless you with tremendous yeshuos, middah kineged middah just like you are doing for us! Thank you so much,

Chaya Maryan”

We have seen time and time again how when our nation works together, we can pull off incredible things. And only days after Chaya’s letter was publicized, more than half the amount of donations needed for her surgery was raised. But there is still a lot that needs to be raised. In this urgent case of life or death, Rabbinical leaders are urging people to donate, if not for Chaya’s sake, then for the sake of her five young children who are praying for their mother’s life to be saved. Time is running out, and Chaya will only receive the surgery if the full amount is raised. Click here to help save Chaya Maryan’s life.