Family Raising Money For Last Trip With Mom

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A pharmacy manager at Primary Children’s Hospital reached out to tell KSL about a coworker whose mother has stage four brain cancer. That co-worker was back home in Portland with her mother and family. They’re trying to raise money for one last special trip for their children.

“We’re just making memories while we can,” said Kira Bracken on a FaceTime call from Oregon.

Bracken was on leave from work at the pharmacy while her mother was on chemotherapy.

Her parents, Kimberly and Stuart Wall have eight kids. They adopted four of them last September, ages 4 to 13.

“The whole goal with adopting them was to give them everything they deserved and more, because they’ve had such a hard life up to this point,” said Bracken.

That goal was severely challenged exactly a year to the date from their adoption, which also happened to be the Wall’s wedding anniversary. On September 19, 2018, Kimberly found out, without warning, she had stage four brain cancer.

“My mom was in the hospital, unconscious, after having brain surgery to remove a tumor they found the night before,” said Bracken.

Doctors told them the cancer was terminal. The tumor cannot be removed because of its position in the brain.

“She’s just been home doing radiation ever since,” said Bracken.

Which has been making her mother, Kimberly, miserable.

“I feel very, very loved,” said Kimberly. “I have good family and good friends, and good kids. We’re plugging through.”

Her family has determined to raise money on GoFundMe for a cruise and a trip to Disney World with the kids.

“They’ve had some tough times in their lives,” said Kimberly.

As she gets sicker, she said she wants more good, positive memories for her kids.

“I’m hoping that we can do something amazing for them,” she said.

Her daughter has found support from her supervisor here in Salt Lake City.

“She’s been a great shoulder to lean on,” said Bracken.

Largely because of a common bond.

“I felt for her, because I had recently gone through the same thing with my own mother,” said Bevan Jensen, Bracken’s supervisor.

Her mother survived stage four cancer earlier this year.

“It rocked my world,” said Jensen. “I instantly felt for her and her family.”

She also wanted to help them make their trip.

“I just thought, ‘Wow, what an amazing family,’” she said.

The family was grateful for the support of friends and strangers who have already helped them to one-third of their goal of $20,000.

“My mom really wants to have a last family trip with the kids,” said Bracken.

Click for information about Wall family’s Bucket List GoFundMe page.