A Bridgeport woman with multiple medical issues opened up to News 12 Connecticut about her fight to survive.

Asia Garner is trying to steer her life forward, but says she keeps ending up going backward through no fault of her own. It's a frustrating cycle that affects not only her but also her daughters, 2-year-old Halo and 15-year-old Lunasia.

"I just started passing out one year, and they started doing a series of tests," she said.

The 34-year-old says she has had a noncancerous brain tumor for the past four years and now has nodules in her throat that her doctor says could end up being cancerous. The diagnosis has left the usually confident single working mom wondering if the road ahead is ever going to begin to smooth out.

"I'm stressed about how this is going to get paid... it's just been a lot," Garner says.

During National Cancer Prevention Month, President Joe Biden kicked off an initiative designed to highlight the fact that Black Americans are at a dramatically higher risk of dying cancer than white Americans.

"My mother died of stage-four pancreatic cancer. Cancer runs very thick on both sides of my family," Garner says.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal says he is pushing for bipartisan support for national legislation designed to invest in research and treatments that would help Black Americans who develop cancer.

"That requires a real moonshot at discrimination as well as cancer in itself," Blumenthal says.

"I pray for my kids' security. I pray for consistent stability," Garner says.

On the local level, State Sen. Herron Gaston says he is pushing for state initiatives that would help offset financial disparities that affect Black cancer patients.

"It's such a heartbreaking story to know that folks like Asia -- and so many more like her -- are falling through the cracks and not being able to just pay their rent," Gaston says.

"I've been going through a very severe depression behind this," Garner says.

She hopes the nodules in her throat do not end up being cancerous because she is having a hard enough time as it is.

"I know that I'm doing absolutely everything I can and it's still never enough," Garner adds.

Officials say cancer remains the second leading cause of death in America, and regular screenings are among the best ways to prevent it and save lives.