Support Annie’s Courageous Journey
Join us supporting Annie Buckles during her battle with Leukemia, helping cover bills and unexpected costs. Your donation helps ease Annie’s financial burden, ensuring she can focus on her recovery without worries about housing or utilities.
- Help Cover Medical Expenses
- Provide Rent and Utility Support
- Offer Emotional Encouragement
- Connect and Grow Community
By giving, you are part of fostering a caring community that uplifts and inspires hope during this challenging year ahead.
All donations are tax-deductible when donating through the Neighborly Giving Foundation (EIN 33-2090751).
Annie’s Update
Well… I survived! (09.16.25)
After 38 glamorous days at Shadyside Hospital (and not a single frequent flyer mile to show for it), I’ve finally been sprung! During my stay, I collected over 40 blood transfusions, downed 200+ chemo pills, had 36 bags of chemo pumped into me via IV, and consumed enough saline to hydrate a cactus farm. Miraculously, I didn’t drown… or die, so we’re calling that a win too.
Each day in the hospital felt like its own little miracle. I celebrated my birthday there and was surrounded by friends who really know how to make a girl feel special. Everyone’s visits by family, friends, work colleagues, and church family were exactly what I needed to get through this first 38 days. But by the grace of God, amazing doctors, and the strength of all your prayers and support, I made it to discharge.
Now, there was a bit of a hiccup the first 24 hours at home, turns out, adjusting to non-hospital life isn’t as simple as just changing locations (who knew?). But once the dust settled (metaphorically, no actual dust is allowed around me), I began settling in for this next chapter.
Starting in late September, I’ll begin outpatient treatment: 4 weeks on, 4 weeks off, like a bizarre summer camp for my white blood cells. This cycle will repeat for a while, but we don’t have a set end date just yet. (Chemo likes to keep things mysterious.)
Now that I’m home, I have a whole team helping me recover, kind of like my own little Avengers squad:
- A home health nurse checks my blood and vitals twice a week
- I get rides to and from chemo (still waiting on my chariot)
- Grocery delivery (because shopping carts are germ traps)
- Lymph node drainage (glamorous, I know)
Now, here’s the part where I have to be the buzzkill: I cannot have flowers, plants, or be around soil of any kind. Apparently, my immune system is a delicate princess right now and doesn’t like spores, dirt, or anything earthy. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to see you! Visitors are very welcome, just bring yourself, maybe a good story, and hand sanitizer.
Eventually, my immune system will graduate from bubble-wrap status and I’ll be able to venture out to a daytime movie (matinee only), an early dinner (think 5:00 PM and I’m home by 7), and even church.
Until then, your support, prayers, texts, memes, and visits mean the world to me. Thanks for being part of this wild ride. I’m not done yet, but I’m definitely on my way. 
While I was in the hospital, I hit some huge milestones:
✓ Learned how to walk again without looking like a baby giraffe
✓Trusted other people to feed me (10/10, do not recommend hospital food)
✓ Survived one of the toughest nights of my life
✓ Reached the halfway point of my treatment plan
✓ And… drumroll… took a walk outside! That might sound small, but trust me, it was BIG.
Love,
Annie
Contributions toward Annie’s care are still warmly welcomed. If you’d like to sign up to visit Annie or prepare a gluten-free meal for her, she would deeply appreciate it, as this remains a challenge for her. Assistance with light housekeeping would also be greatly valued. Please note, Annie’s PICC line, which runs directly to her heart, is very delicate. Lifting, straining, pushing, or pulling anything heavier than a gallon of milk could harm her line, arm, heart, and slow her recovery.
Your presence and support mean a lot! Feel free to use the contact section to ask questions, offer a meal or service, or simply say hello. Messages are regularly shared with Annie, and the Neighborly Giving Team is here to support you as well!
Annie’s Story
Like any other day, Annie was her vibrant self, hanging out with friends, walking dogs, and savoring life’s little joys. Then, one afternoon… (click to read more)
Fatigue hit her like a ton of bricks. She chalked it up to a busy week and took a long nap, thinking, hey, who doesn’t need a good snooze now and then?
While dog-sitting a lively bunch of furry fans who couldn’t keep their paws off her, Annie noticed something odd, bruises popping up like unwelcome party crashers. Normally, a bruise here and there wasn’t a big deal, but these were everywhere, appearing with minimal effort. Still, Annie shrugged it off. After all, she’d survived far tougher challenges during her two years as a missionary in Cambodia.
But then came July 31st. Annie felt faint, dizzy, and looked paler than a ghost at a vampire convention. Alarm bells rang, so she called her primary care doctor, got some lab work done, and waited—because waiting is the worst part. By Friday night, she knew something was off, and Saturday morning found her and a friend speeding to Urgent Care. Neither expected drama, but the doctor took one look and said, “Nope, she needs more than this.”
On August 1st, Annie checked into UPMC St. Margaret in Aspinwall, and her journey with leukemia began. Enter the dream team: PA Cassi and RN Andre, sharp-eyed and compassionate, ready to steer her through the storm. Everyone was kind, empathetic, and, best of all, transparent. Annie was in excellent hands and about to meet a whole crew committed to her recovery. Cassi and Andre prepped her for the road ahead. Though the official diagnosis was days away, they suspected leukemia. First step: boost those blood counts with a transfusion before transferring her to UPMC Shadyside in Pittsburgh, a top-tier hospital known worldwide for oncology care.
By August 2nd, Annie had undergone three blood transfusions, received multiple platelet doses, and started initial chemo drugs designed to help while they awaited the final diagnosis. This treatment was like a warm-up act before the main event. Her hospital stay will stretch to 30 days, filled with daily chemotherapy. The road to recovery? A marathon, not a sprint, up to a year of alternating chemo drugs, rest, and resilience. One drug for two weeks, another for four, all balanced with time to recharge.
Through it all, Annie’s spirit shines bright. Her faith is her rock, and has blessed her room with an aura of peace, hope, and joy. She’s got a killer sense of humor and is taking on these first-time experiences like a pro.
As of August 4th, the diagnosis is official: Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL). Surrounded by amazing doctors like Dr. James Rosetti, PA Caroline, and a team of wonderful nurses, Annie remains upbeat. She cherishes visits from family, church friends, and pals. Being the extrovert she is, Annie would love to see or hear from you! If you’d like to send her a note, drop one below, she receives them daily, and they brighten her days more than you can imagine.
Neighborly Giving Foundation is ensuring all donations are given to Annie to take care of her needs. Click the button below to donate and become part of our growing community.
