Donate to Erik Zamora's Fight Against PMP Cancer

Hello everyone. My name is Erik Zamora. For those that know me, you know that I don't ask for help, but I found myself at these crossroads. I have been diagnosed with a very rare form of cancer called Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (PMP) cancer, also known as “jelly belly.”

During the past year, I have been experiencing gastrointestinal problems, fatigue, and weight loss. After many tests, I was diagnosed with Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (PMP) cancer. There are only three doctors in the state of Illinois that treat this form of cancer. The recommended course of treatment is surgery, chemotherapy, and possible radiation.

On July 2, I underwent surgery at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center. The surgery lasted 9.5 hours. They removed the appendix, spleen, gall bladder, parts of the pancreas, liver, stomach, colon, omentum, and 13 lbs of cancerous materials. I lost a large amount of blood and received 12 units of blood transfusions, 10 liters of fluid, 4 units of plasma, and 4 units of platelets. At one point, I lost so much blood that the staff announced a Massive Product Transfusion alert. The medical staff said this was the largest amount of cancerous material they have seen removed from a patient. I was in the hospital for 14 days. I finally went home on July 15th.

If everything goes well with the recovery plan, I will be out of work for 12 weeks.

All donations will be greatly appreciated and will assist with the costs associated with medical bills for chemotherapy, surgery, and exams. I am grateful for all the support, prayers, and donations in my fight against cancer.