Ender Manuel's Chemo + Cancer Treatment Fundraiser

*Seguido en Español*
Hey friends, fam, and allies of Ender Manuel Martinez - lgbtq refugee and human rights defender and guest of Casa de los amigos as a refugee for over a year.  Ender is still in urgent need of support.  With your initial help we have already been able to successfully support him to get the diagnostic support (ultrasounds,  colonoscopy, etc.) to monitor his cancer.  We have also been able to afford much needed medications to help with reducing pain, bleeding, among other things.  We were able to cover the costs of surgery to get the first tumor in his colon removed.  Unfortunately, the cancer has returned in both his stomach and colon.  The cancer is in danger of metastasizing further with future spread reducing his chance of recovery immensely.  The doctors have told him he needs to begin chemotherapy immediately or he will only have 4 months at most to live. 
 
A friend that is taking care of him has offered to provide the $500 towards this chemotherapy.  Through the artisan collective he is part of, he has been able to get a discount on treatment.  For 12 chemotherapy sessions (one per week) for three months he needs $1200 total. So with the 500 already has, that means he just needs $700 more. Along with the chemo, Ender needs funds for the medications he has been prescribed. All in all, in order to cover the costs of the chemotherapy treatment for 3 months, plus the medication and basic nutrition, Ender's treatment will cost $3,000. 
 
We have continued to support him on a monthly basis to cover medications, food, transportation, and other things that come up, but we need your help with this one. 
 
If even a small group of 10-15 of us could create a localized fundraising event where we live, among friends and family and potential allies, we could easily come up with close to $1000 USD for the chemo, as well as the extra costs that will come up during the 3 months he needs treatment.
 
If each of us commit to trying to fundraise $100-150 each we could reach that goal.
 
Here are a few of our fundraising ideas below;
 
·      Call a close family member and a few friends, tell them about Ender and his needs and why this is important to you, and ask if they might consider splitting a donation of  $30- $50 each among you all.
 
·      Organize a potluck fundraising event to support Ender.  This could be a social get together where you ask for volunteer donations of $5-20 dollars from 10 or more people.  You could print out a picture along with a biography of Ender and you could explain and pass a jar around.
 
·      Organize a dinner that people contribute donations for Ender instead of helping out for the meal
 
·      Offer a barter in exchange for donations.  For example, Sol has a lot of soaps that he will offer to people as Christmas stocking stuffers, offering them at $5 a bar with all the proceeds going to Ender’s chemo treatment.  You could easily barter your time or some service as well.
 
Please do what suits you the best. 
 
Anyways, we are positive that if just 10-15 of us take up this fundraising among our community and fam we can reach a goal of $700-+$1000 in 3 -4 weeks. Can we count on your suppport to help us with this new fundraising drive?
 
Below is a Bio of Ender for those who want to know more.  As well, I will post an interview I had with him in the Casa de los Amigos that was about Food and identity for Ender.  It gives a lot more detail about him and his history.
 
Thank you so much for your continued support throughout all of this.  We certainly couldn’t have gotten this far without you, and we are grateful for your continued support.
Love you all,
SS

Para leer la descripción en español, haga clic aquí .

To read the bio, click here. 
Para leer la biografía, haga clic aquí .