Single Parent With Cancer Have Cause To Smile

When single parents face a devastating illness such as cancer, everyday needs like cleaning and cooking can become a struggle. 

Jody Farley-Berens saw the need firsthand, when her childhood friend faced that situation.

"Making ends meet is insurmountable," said Farley-Berens. 

"There are so many doctors' appointments, copays, surgeries, prescriptions. And then the inability to work -- any savings that there may have been is gone very quickly."

She did all she could to help. After her friend passed away, Farley-Berens helped start a nonprofit dedicated to assisting others in similar circumstances. 

Since 2006, Singleton Moms has provided practical, financial and emotional support to more than 300 parents in the Phoenix area.

Tiffany Montgomery, 48, was a newly single mom when she was diagnosed with stage-4 breast cancer. Farley-Berens' group pitched in to help, so Montgomery could spend more time with her daughter Ezri, now 10.

"When you can't really do much and you're looking at the dirt on the floor, it's one more level of stress," she said. "You have these people that come in, that don't know you, and 'You're going to help me with cleaning my house?'"

"Singleton Moms has actually changed my whole outlook. They care about you, and they're demonstrating their love through their actions."

I sat down with Farley-Berens to ask her about her work. Below is an edited version of our conversation. 

CNN: Tell me about the woman who inspired your work.

Farley-Berens: I grew up with a girl named Michelle Singleton who was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 30. She was a single mother of four children and I was a young mom with two kids. And it was scary. You just want to be there to watch them grow up. 

Paying the bills, cleaning her home, making dinner for her kids all of that became a real struggle. I wanted to make things as easy as possible for her. 

So when I would go to the store, I'd grab an extra Tide and extra toilet paper. When I would make my meals for my family, I would double it and bring a meal over to her house. 

Once I helped with an electric bill. I just tried to do those little things that I hoped would relieve her of some stress.

About six months after she passed, we got to thinking she couldn't have been the only one. There were other people like her that needed help. And that's how Singleton Moms was born. CONTINUE READING

CNN