Hector Mateo Alderete Chavez is a bright, kind-hearted 13-year-old who should be spending his days at school and laughing with friends. Instead, he and his family are facing one of the hardest battles of their lives. Just today, after a series of terrible nosebleeds, Mateo was diagnosed with cancer. He is the youngest of four children, and his family has already endured unimaginable loss — a few years ago, they lost their mother to cancer. Now, this same disease has come for their youngest.

Mateo’s father, Jose Luis Alderete Rodriguez, is a hardworking man who owns a small cheese factory in Aguas Calientes. He has done everything he can to provide for his children, even as he faces the pain of losing his wife and the challenges of a recent divorce. As the sole provider, Jose Luis is now struggling to keep up with mounting medical bills, hospital stays, and the basic needs of his family. The weight of these responsibilities is overwhelming, and the future feels uncertain.

I am creating this fundraiser because, as a low-income student with a part-time job, this is the only way I can help. Every dollar raised will go directly toward Mateo’s medical expenses, keeping a roof over their heads, and making sure there is food on the table. Your support will allow Jose Luis to be by his son’s side when he needs him most, without the added worry of how to pay the next bill. If you can give, please do. If you cannot, please share Mateo’s story — getting it in front of the right person could change everything. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being part of Mateo’s fight.