<div>Dear Friends and Family,
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<div>It is with a heavy heart that I reach out to you today on behalf of my beloved husband, <strong>Ricardo Gaeta</strong>. In December of 2019, he was diagnosed with Acinic Cell Carcinoma, which has metastasized to other parts of his body, currently in the spine and lungs.
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<div>In September of 2019, at just 40 years old, he became aware of a very painful mass on his jaw that was diagnosed as stage 4 acinic cell carcinoma, which resulted in a Parotidectomy in January 2020 to completely remove his parotid gland.
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<div>Acinic Cell Carcinoma is so rare that the VA was not sure how to treat him, so they referred him to MD Anderson in Jacksonville, Florida, where we were stationed at the time. Just three weeks later, he had brain surgery to remove a tumor that was found in his brain through a CT and MRI. As soon as he recovered from these surgeries, he was treated with chemotherapy and radiation. Less than a year later, we learned that the cancer spread to his lungs, so he was treated with radiation once more. Ricardo’s cancer has unfortunately reached his lymphatic system, so it has made appearances over the last (almost 6 years). Our time in Jacksonville was coming to an end, and Ricardo was medically discharged after serving our country for 25 years in the Marine Corps. We were relocated back to California, and six months later, through routine scans, the tumors were back in his lungs. He had a lung wedge resection (cut out sections from his lungs) to remove the tumors, and after he recovered, he started immunotherapy. The VA referred him to community care, and he has since been under the care of UCI Cancer Center. Immunotherapy stabilized his tumors for several months, but he developed other health issues such as hypothyroidism, skin issues that required more medication and injections with side effects, and lethargy, so the treatment had to stop. Late October 2024, Ricardo was experiencing intractable back pain that landed him in the ER. There was a new tumor on his T-6 vertebrae! Long story short, he had a laminectomy (invasive back surgery), and his T-4 to T-8 were fused, which resulted in being hospitalized for a total of 30 days. He received radiation on his back once he was healed. Unfortunately, the pain is still very present and currently being managed with opioids.
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<div>Fast forward to today and my reason for reaching out for financial assistance. Ricardo completed chemo and radiation at the end of May this year, had his follow-up scans, and we learned on July 23rd that the chemo did not work. Two tumors did shrink and are stable, but there is a new tumor on his lung that doubled in size in three weeks. His oncologist said that his cancer has progressed, and he needs to start radiation ASAP and move right into yet another course of chemotherapy before recovering from his last cycle. He started radiation on August 7th and will have it twice a day for 20 days. Upon completion, he will immediately start a new chemotherapy regimen (Adriamycin and Cytoxan).
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<div>This is why I am asking for your help. <strong>Ricardo is in the fight of his life, and it is my turn to show up for him the way he has always shown up for me.</strong> He just started a very aggressive, cutting-edge treatment here at UCI Cancer Center. In addition to traditional therapy, we are trying holistic therapy for both his chronic pain and cancer, which is not covered by insurance. I want to ease that financial burden so he can focus entirely on what matters most—healing.
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<div>To know Ricardo is to love him. He is selfless, kind, and loyal, just to name a few. He shows up for others even when he himself is struggling. He will walk around in pain with a smile on his face and ask others how they are doing and how he can help them. I can’t imagine a world without him. I won’t.
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<div>For the last six years, we have managed to get through this on our own without any assistance, and our current situation was not an emergency until it was. I have been fortunate enough to maintain my full-time job throughout this journey and still take care of him, but I am no longer able to do so. I cannot be the partner he needs me to be and work a full-time job. There are programs designed to help disabled veterans, but we have not qualified for them. I have been denied two times for the VA caregiving program but am going to apply once more as I do have people currently helping me do so. We have a wonderful person providing us some help from the HunterSeven Foundation, and I am so grateful for that.
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<div>Every donation—no matter the amount—will make a meaningful difference in Ricardo’s journey. Your generosity, prayers, and support mean the world to me and him. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for standing with Ricardo during this incredibly difficult season.
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<div>With Love,
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<div>Tiffany
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A Warrior's Fight: Supporting Ricardo in his Cancer Battle.

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A Warrior's Fight: Supporting Ricardo in his Cancer Battle.

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