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A little about Mo

Monica was born and raised in Tucson, Az. She met and married her high school sweetheart and has two sons. Monica loves her family very much and would do anything to make sure they are taken care of. Monica sometimes worked two to three jobs because she wanted to make sure that her family did not have to want for anything. She made sure she budgeted so the bills were paid but still be able to take the family places.
After high school, Monica and her husband lived in Nevada but as her family started to grow, they decided to move back to Tucson to be near family and friends. She worked at the airport but decided she wanted to go to school to become a massage therapist. She wanted to help others, to make them feel better in any way she could. She studied hard, took extra classes to be at the top of her game so she could give her clients the best experience they had ever had.
Monica loved being a massage therapist but she still felt like she had not reached her calling yet. After the passing of her grandmother, she started to become interested in Respiratory Therapy and wanted to help others. She then went back to school with great determination to finish school and work in the hospital. She is a great role model for her kids, friends and family and anyone who thinks they cannot go back to school not once but twice, finish and be at the top of her class. Monica has been working at Banner Hospital for the last two years and enjoys what she does.

About Mo's Journey

Monica has always been healthy but about two years ago, she was diagnosed with diabetes and was being treated for it. About a year after that, she started to feel ill, fatigued, had stomachaches and a loss of appetite so she went to the doctor for a sick visit. Bloodwork was ordered and when the results came back, her primary care doctor said that she needed to go to the hospital right away, not to wait. There she was diagnosed with jaundice. The hospital ran more bloodwork and labs and while there, she learned of a mass on her pancreas which the result ended up being Pancreatic Cancer Stage II.
After learning the devastating news of Pancreatic Cancer, Monica’s life has changed significantly. She was hit with all the emotions but the one that stood out the most was fear of the unknown. Fear of treatment and the side effects, fear of finances, her future, quality of life, all the things you may think about if you heard you had cancer. Monica is a fighter, she is strong and with her determination she said what are our next steps, what do I need to know, what are my options. As Monica does, she researched as much as she could, asked all the questions her and her family had and made a decision to follow through with chemotherapy. For six months, Monica did chemotherapy. After her therapy ended in March of 2025, she had “The Whipple’ procedure done in April of 2025 in hopes that the doctors were able to get all the cancer and lingering cells. Unfortunately, Monica was informed that there were still cancer cells in her body and she needed another 8 rounds of chemotherapy. To her hesitation, Monica decided to continue with the therapy even though it brings her pain, side effects that she tolerates in hopes that the chemo will work this time and the dream of one day feeling normal.
One cannot know what it is like to have cancer and feel all the pain and suffering they go through. As family and friends, we may think we know but we have no idea! Monica is a warrior, a fighter who is fighting as hard as her body allows. She has lost a lot because of this illness, she is the one suffering the pain, the loss of her energy, the loss of what she loves to do best, for now anyway! As family and friends we are also in pain but a different kind of pain and we are here to support and be her cheerleader but in that support we need to also give her time to heal, a shoulder to vent on without judgement, peace and love.

Thank you for reading about Monica and her journey. Please keep her in your prayers and explore her site.

Mo's GoFundMe

Our goal for starting the GoFundMe page is to raise funds to help Monica and her family with medical expenses, food, bills, gas and anything else she may need to make sure Monica gets what she needs without added stress.
Upon hearing of Monica’s prognosis of Pancreatic Cancer and the treatments that she will have to undergo, many stressors took form. The first stressor was what her future would look like, quality of life, symptoms and how her life will change. The second was her not being able to work due to treatments and the side effects she will have to endure. By her not working, this led to stressor number three, financial support. Although Monica and her husband Theoatis budget and make smart choices, the surprise of a cancer diagnosis with the additional expenses for costs of treatments, doctors appointments and surgeries were not part of their budget.
As strong and determined as Monica is, she tried to continue to work, but the stress on her body from the chemotherapy did not allow her to continue due to fatigue, neuropathy in her hands and legs and pain she endures on a daily basis.
When family and friends heard the news, Monica’s support system was quickly formed without question. This is where the creation of the GoFundMe page for Monica and her family was brought to life. They wanted someplace to share her news, give updates to those who love her and for those who wanted to help support the McDaniels financially, this was a great platform to start.
Thank you for your support, time, thoughts and prayers.

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