To know Ramil is a blessing! He takes on each day with a smile. I truly believe he was born smiling. He possesses no negativity in his heart and with no enemies to be found. Everyone who has encountered him, has loved him from the start. Those who know him, know that not only is he an amazing friend and family member, but he is one of a kind! He takes life in stride, and lives for his family. The simple things in life are what bring him joy, as long as it can be enjoyed with those he holds close to his heart.

Thank you for your willingness to learn about the life Ramil has been living for the last year and visiting his GoFundMe page. His story below is straight from the heart (his heart), with no omissions.

At the young age of 36 years old, my loving cousin Ramil was diagnosed with duodenal cancer in July of 2019. Not only is it rare but, very aggressive and quick to metastasize. Four months prior to his diagnosis, he was experiencing what he described as, acid reflux. He immediately went to his primary care provider to find out exactly what was going on. After his examination, he was advised to go home and take Pepcid to reduce the diagnosed, "acid reflux" for the next couple of weeks. The first 2-3 weeks it appeared like the medication was working however, things took a turn for the worse. He was feeling ill daily with symptoms ranging from chronic fatigue, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, insomnia, and the most troubling of all, rapid weight loss. He went from weighing 190lbs down to 150lbs in a matter of 8 weeks. We knew immediate medical intervention would be necessary to improve the odds of defeating this horrible disease.

Through continuous prayer and careful consideration of all treatment options, on September 3, 2019, he decided to move forward with a surgical procedure known as the, Whipple procedure. This surgery is considered to be the granddaddy of all surgeries. The procedure involved the removal of his entire duodenum, gallbladder, 20% of his stomach, 1/3 of his pancreas (head of pancreas) along with 13 lymph nodes around the surrounding areas. By the grace of God and surgical precision carried out by the surgeon and medical staff, what was supposed to be a 8 hour procedure was completed in 4 hours.


A week following the operation, the surgeon contacted Ramil to discuss the pathology report regarding the malignant tumor that was removed, classified as stage 3A duodenal adenocarcinoma. The good news was that the tumor was removed with clear margins. The bad news was 2 of 13 lymph nodes tested positive for cancer. The oncologist advised he would have to go through 12 rounds of chemotherapy once his body was strong enough post surgery to begin treatment. Determining when he would be, "strong" enough to undergo the chemotherapy was one of the many obstacles he had to face when it came to seeking chemotherapy for treatment and healing.

The surgery had taken its toll on his body and although the malignant tumor was removed, his body now had to go through the process of healing and recovery. During this time, his oncologist kept on pressuring him to begin chemotherapy immediately to improve his 5-year survival rate, which is only 3% effective. The intention was to slow down the progression of the metastasizing cancer cells while shrinking the large tumors that were inoperable in hopes to be removed. Ramil knew in his heart that chemotherapy alone wasn't enough to defeat this disease. The decision to go against the advice of his oncologist  regarding chemotherapy wasn't easy as they are, the trained professionals.

During the course of the next 5 months, he slowly regained his strength and started to adapt to his "new" body which meant, figuring out what foods he can tolerate, finding ways to boost his immune system, reduce stress, and managing the ongoing pain from the surgical procedure itself. The first week of February 2020, he went in for a follow-up PET scan and the results were clear. No evidence of disease found and blood work was normal.

Towards the the latter half of July 2020, Ramil began losing his appetite once again. In addition, pain was felt in the liver region, left lung, and abdomen. The shortness of breath came back with strength, much different than his previous symptoms. He became short-winded walking up a minimal flight of stairs and spent more time in bed than the norm. He immediately scheduled an appointment with his oncologist for blood work and a PET scan from the base of his skull to mid-thigh.

The oncologist called back 2 days later to discuss the results. The PET scan revealed the cancer has returned spreading to his liver, left lung, abdominal wall, spleen, colon, and several lymph nodes. The news of his cancer returning and deemed stage 4 devastated our family. The only option left for treatment was chemotherapy, every 2 weeks for the rest of his life, for as long as he can tolerate it or, until the chemotherapy stops working.

Even though Ramil was never at peace with the idea of chemotherapy, he decided to give it a try. He had already endured so much and this was his final attempt to prolong his life and possibly through a miracle, even beat this disease.

He began his first round of chemotherapy on September 2, 2020 and weighed 175lbs. He immediately felt the common yet, horrible side effects. Such side effects included: nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite, and no energy.  Two weeks passed and he returned for his second round of treatment on September 16, 2020. He was physically weak and his mental state was deteriorating. He now weighed 165lbs.

Being a man of God and believer in Jesus Christ, he immediately started praying and asking for God's guidance upon his life as to whether or not he should continue conventional treatment. He cried out to God on the infusion chair and said, "Heavenly father in Jesus' name, there has got to be another way for me to get well because I would rather die than go through another round of chemotherapy, and if its not in your will then let today be the last day of treatment, and direct me to the path of alternative treatment that is less invasive!" With God's good grace, his prayer was answered that same day and he was lead to an alternative treatment center in Tijuana, Mexico. This required a huge leap of faith despite any fear or concerns he had.

On September 23, 2020 Ramil and my Uncle Stan (his father) drove down 8+ hours from the Bay area to Tijuana. Ramil left that morning barely able to walk or talk. He was severely dehydrated and wasn't even sure if he could handle the long drive. By the Grace of God he made it to the treatment center and started treatment the following day.

Here is how you can show your support. All donations will be applied towards Ramil's medical treatment expenses and healing process.

Alternative treatment is not covered by his standard medical insurance and is an accrued out of pocket cost. The cost for treatment is $20,000 for 3 weeks (minimum 3 week stay). Based on his diagnosis and current condition, the doctor recommends 9 weeks of treatment with the goal of putting him into remission with no evidence of disease in his body. This financial burden weighs heavy but, this is the path that has helped him tremendously.

**Update as of October 1, 2020 **

After just one week of treatment, Ramil is now able to walk without shortness of breath while the pain in his liver, left lung, and abdomen have subsided (pain level of 2/10 versus the 8/10 when he first arrived for treatment). He is able to convey his thoughts with greater clarity and his hope of overcoming this disease has skyrocketed.

With your prayers, support, and generosity, Ramil can continue on his road to recovery with the ultimate goal of being cancer free. He looks forward to the day he can return back home to his wife, 4-year old baby boy, family, and friends which he misses dearly.

If Ramil's journey resonates with you and you feel compelled in your heart to donate, we will forever be grateful. Please help us share his story and fundraiser with your friends, family, and social network.

Thank you for taking the time to read the story of my cousin's journey. We thank you for joining us and supporting him in this fight!

God deserves all the glory! In Jesus' mighty name we pray. AMEN!