Hello,

I hope this finds you all well, healthy, and happy heading into the holiday season. For most, the holidays represent a time for family, laughter, and lots of good food. We’re the same - my two silly beautiful kids, Adrianna (8) and Christopher (6), a nutty loving husband Michael, and large extended family and friends full of amazing goofballs.

This year we’re seeing the holidays extra specially as a time to appreciate how we’ve grown, what all we’ve been blessed with, and the personal battles won so far.

On July 20th, Michael and I were blessed with the news that we’re expecting Peanut #3 – it (everyone knows what the gender is, except for Grandpa who wants it to be a surprise – so playing it safe here just in case) will arrive March 2024!! Wish us luck on deciding on a name!

Little did we know, two weeks later on August 6th, my Michael collapsed and was diagnosed with acute myelogenous (AML) leukemia. New world for us – we went from knowing nothing, to knowing as much as we possibly could about this most aggressive and fast-growing blood cancer. After six weeks in the hospital Michael won his initial fight and is in remission. He was even back home just in time for Christopher’s 6th birthday. He’s heading into bone marrow transplant surgery soon, which means another 4-6 weeks in hospital. This means, though he’s in the best place for treatment, he will miss Christmas and New Years at home.

We’re keeping our heads up, staying optimistic. We WILL still have a good holiday season full of all the great things we always look forward to and are grateful for. Our kids won’t sense or feel any of the anxiety or dread we adults are pushing through. But we have to admit we need help.

We humbly ask for help in covering some of the growing costs and bills. With all the appointments (both his and my own for Peanut #3), commuting in and out of Boston, and still being there for Adri & Christopher, we’ve lost income and so the bills are piling up.

If you’re able, please share this post, or if your own circumstances allow a contribution (any amount helps), my husband and I would be so so so grateful.

Have a wonderful holiday season.

Trinidad and Michael Melo