Hi, I'm Rafael Candido, and I'm reaching out on behalf of my mom, Margaret Candido.

My mom is 75 years old and has been ferociously battling stage IV A Oropharyngeal cancer. After enduring chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, the treatments have left her with significant side effects that prevent her from living independently. The cancer treatments have removed her body's ability to produce saliva and swallow normal food, requiring her to use a PEG tube for nutrition. She's also experiencing memory issues (commonly known as chemo brain) and has lost her balance, making daily activities extremely challenging.

Today, she's moving into Ponchatoula Community Care Center in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, where she can receive the specialized care she needs to manage these complex medical requirements.

My brothers and I are doing everything we can to support her through this difficult time, but the costs of assisted living care, ongoing medical expenses, and treatment-related needs are overwhelming our family.

Mom has always worked her whole life and helped us whenever possible - now it's our turn to make sure she receives the comfort and care she deserves during this challenging chapter.

Our hope is that this will be temporary, six months to a year for her to receive professional help to regain her independence while getting the necessary tools to overcome the treatment's side effects.

We're asking for your help to ensure she can stay in quality care and focus on her health rather than worrying about financial stress.

Any contribution, no matter the size, means the world to our family.

Cost just for the skilled nursing and rehabilitation center nursing home (hopefully covered by this GoFundMe):

Monthly: $9600 ( x 12 = 115,200)