A GoFundMe for a Texas Tech student from Lubbock is getting attention after it raised a significant amount of money in just six days.
“It really shows the heart that people have for Laiven, and the love they want to share,” said Madison Puryear, a friend of Laiven Wells.
Friends and family rallied together after Wells, a sophomore, was diagnosed with cancer. Wells wasn’t feeling OK for months but put off going to the doctor. It wasn’t until she called her boyfriend to help that she decided to go to the hospital.
“She told me to come pick her up, and she was pale, like really, really white, and so that was when I told her, ‘You have to go,'” said Kyle Reedy, Wells’ boyfriend.
Just a few days later, Wells had a diagnosis: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, one of the most common forms of cancer. Puryear and Reedy worked together on a GoFundMe page as a way to break the news to everyone.
“Not a lot of people knew, and we thought it was the best way to get it out,” said Puryear. “We don’t want Laiven to have to explain herself over and over and over again.”
What they didn’t expect though was the response. The page has been shared more than 1,000 times and has raised more than $15,000 in six days. Puryear says she wasn’t expecting this response, as she and Kyle had no idea how much to ask for.
“We figured we should just set it high at $230,000, and see how much we get, but we have no idea how much all of this is going to cost,” said Puryear.
They say they never expected her page to take off. As Wells continues treatment at a Lubbock hospital. they are touched by all of the donations, but even more so for the heartfelt messages.
“It’s been a blessing, and Laiven is overwhelmed,” said Puryear. “She loves it and just feels so loved and thankful.”
If you want to donate to Laiven’s page, you can reach it HERE.
