Woman who raised $1 million for her children has died | US News

A terminally ill Utah woman has died after her online appeal to support her young children raised more than $1 million.

Erika Diarte-Carr, 30, described being “ashamed and embarrassed because people are finding out the truth” about her having small cell lung cancer (SCLC) after keeping it a secret but facing a “huge financial burden”. was.

In June, the mother of two posted a call on the GoFundMe website. She said: “I've never been good at accepting help or asking for help, but… I'm no longer able to do physical work.”

Ms Carr said she was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 cancer in May 2022 and with Cushing's syndrome, a hormonal disorder that causes weight gain and muscle loss, in January 2024.

She posted that Jeremiah, 7, and Aaliyah, 5, were her “whole life, light and soul,” adding, “My children are my fight and what keeps me going.”

On September 18, another update said she was given three months to live. “I have decided to stop the treatments as they are no longer helping,” she wrote, adding that she wanted to raise $5,000 (£3,825) to cover her funeral costs and “leave something behind for my babies”.

On Saturday, her cousin confirmed Ms Carr's death in a post on Facebook.

As of Tuesday, the amount raised through GoFundMe had exceeded almost $1.2 million (£918,000).

“She fought a long and hard battle. She was strong and held on as long as she could for her babies. I know she was so grateful for all of your support, love and prayers,” her cousin wrote.

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An update posted on GoFundMe on October 3 – a few days before her death – thanked people for their “love and support” and generous donations.

“Me and the children are now able to plan a big trip as a family that will leave them with unforgettable memories,” Ms. Carr wrote.

“I can promise you that your help will ensure that my children remain financially stable for the rest of their lives as I put everything into a trust fund for them.”

It is not clear whether she was able to complete the planned trip before her death.

According to Cancer Research UK, small cell lung cancer accounts for around one in seven (15%) lung cancers and tends to spread quite early.