My sister Alexandra Monsibaez is a mother of 6 wonderful children, the best sister & aunt anyone could ever ask for, and a trusted friend to many. For the last 14 years I’ve watched her work tirelessly every day at a homeless rescue shelter, selflessly putting others before herself. Now, more than ever, I still see her going above and beyond for so many people when she’s been silently fighting her own battle. She’s been in pain for the last year and had been hesitant to see a doctor for fear of a potential cancer diagnosis after watching both her parents deteriorate due to their battles with cancer. In September she sought treatment for the large growth that had worsened on her tongue and was diagnosed with oral cancer. Stage 1, squamous cell carcinoma spreading from the tongue to the lymph nodes and the thyroid. The road ahead is going to be a long and difficult one.

Alexa, as I call her, will receive treatment to include an extensive surgery to remove the cancer and then is to undergo rounds of radiation and chemo therapies. The plan is to resect a large portion of her tongue and take a tissue graft to create a new tongue in its place. After the graft heals, she is expected to need lengthy speech and language therapy for her to basically learn how to speak and eat again. In the meantime, she’ll need an external feeding tube to make sure she gets nutrients while she’s healing. Her surgery is October 18, 2021, with radiation and chemotherapy soon to follow. Because of all this Alexa won’t be able to work, but the medical bills and regular bills will continue to come. While she will be receiving State disability benefits…it’s a small percentage (nearly only half) of her normal salary, the rent and all the normal bills won’t change, and the due dates won’t change either.

I believe that she has done everything she can to help herself through this, and I know she has exhausted all her resources to help with the many expenses that she now faces. Alexa has ALWAYS helped others; I believe now is the time for others to help her. Please join me and my family and friends in helping Alexa. The goal is set to $5,000.00 but her needs will exceed that. We will keep her condition and status updated as often as is available.