Gloucester native Naketa Banks is winning her life-and-death battle with a brain tumor, and a friend has stepped up to help Banks with her next fight—getting a handle on her growing medical expenses.

Banks, 29, was diagnosed in March with a brain tumor and shortly after her diagnosis, underwent a 15-hour surgery at the Harvard Brigham and Women’s/Children’s Hospital, Boston. “I’m truly blessed to have survived it,” Banks said.

Since March, Banks speaks of her story as “my whirlwind,” adding that everything has moved so quickly and changed so dramatically since her initial diagnosis and subsequent surgery, which caused her right vocal cord to be paralyzed.

Christine Ford, who worked with her for a period of time until Banks decided to pursue a nursing career, said she wanted to do something to her friend, and came up with the idea of a raffle. “I want to do this for Naketa because she is a sweet, kind, considerate and thoughtful w...