We are Jaime and Fernanda, a young Ecuadorian couple whose have walked together since 14 years old. We got married after 11 years of friendship, and on that day we promised to be a threefold cord, with God as a fundamental part of our family.

Today we keep dreaming of building our future together, even though life has tested us with a devastating loss, a lesson of faith, and now a battle against cancer.

Our Zoe: the loss that changed us

At the 20th week of pregnancy with our first daughter, we were told she would probably not survive. Our beautiful Zoe was born at 25 weeks and lived only 5 days, leaving us with an immense pain. Even so, we chose to grow stronger, holding tight to our faith: “God is a good Father” and “all things work together for good.” We learned that love transcends even death, and we know that one day we will embrace her again.

The miracle: our brave and determined son (by Fernanda)

After 14 months, and under strict medical supervision, we tried for another pregnancy. Due to the aftermath of the previous pregnancy, I spent months on complete bed rest while my husband took care of everything. At week 32, the scar from the previous C-section began to open, and our baby had to be delivered urgently. Isaac spent 15 days in the NICU, fighting a pneumothorax. Today, at 9 months old, he is our miracle, reminding us that “perfect love casts out fear.”

The most unexpected blow: cancer (by Jaime)

Just when we were starting to breathe again, eight months after Isaac’s birth, I began experiencing severe stomach pain. Doctors found large tumors in my intestines and other areas. I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Now I am facing 8 chemotherapy sessions, one every 21 days. It is an aggressive treatment, but I trust that with timely care and the faith that sustains us, I will overcome it.

Our pillars

We are that unbreakable cord that extends beyond what is visible. With Zoe we learned that love is eternal; with Isaac, that miracles exist; and with this battle, that we are never alone. We live one day at a time, with God’s grace renewed each morning.

Why do we need help?

• The costs of chemotherapy, medications, and medical tests are overwhelming us.

• My lymphoma requires aggressive chemotherapy without delays. The expenses so far have been due to the urgency of starting treatment, since when the first symptoms appeared, the cancer was already at stage IIIE. There was no time to access the public system because the wait times put my life at risk due to the size of one of the tumors.

• We are still carrying debts from Isaac’s neonatal intensive care and hospitalization.

• Right now, I cannot work normally, and holding a steady job has become a major challenge for both of us.

Join our cord of hope

We remain that unbreakable cord, extending beyond what is visible.

God taught us with Zoe that love transcends; with Isaac, that miracles exist; and with this battle, that we are never alone.

Every donation, no matter how small, brings us closer to winning this fight. Thank you for reading and for being part of our story.