Erica and Elias Garcia
Donation protected
Erica and Elias have a rare Genetic Disorder called Li-Fraumeni syndrome that links them to early onset cancers. This genetic disorder makes them 95% prone to get at least one form of Cancer if not many. The most common in children is Brain Cancer. And although you may rid yourself of one form of cancer, it can come back in another form.
Erica got breast cancer at the age of 27. She has been battling Cancer for almost 12 years and has had a total of 10 surgeries. After a lumpectomy, then a bilateral mastectomy, Erica had a DIEP Flap reconstructive surgery in 2011. It took her years to recover from the 14-hour surgery which consisted of six months of bed rest due to the surgical sites at both her breast reconstruction and her abdomen. Her core strength, body insecurities, and emotional struggles with the disease still challenge her today. She continues to experience long lasting side effects of numbness and tingling in her hands from the chemotherapy. This can make it very challenging to do her dream work as a special education preschool teacher. Her dream.
When Erica was at her lowest battling her first diagnosis of breast cancer, after several months of chemo and losing all her hair, when her now husband Paul Garcia, asked Erica to marry him. During their first appointments, they were told by her doctors she would not be able to have children. Although this thought was devastating at the time to both of them who planned a life together, both Paul and Erica agreed they would adopt.
They were married on April 4, 2009, and miraculously on their honeymoon she conceived her first son Lazarus, who will soon be 7. We called him the miracle child. Then to our surprise, only a few short months after Lazarus was born, Elias was conceived and will soon be 6.
After being diagnosed two more times with breast cancer, after the boys were born, Erica was tested for the Li-Fraumeni gene. After she tested positive, it was a 50/50 chance her boys could carry the gene too. It was a very scary time for Erica and Paul - the last thing they could imagine is their children experiencing anything similar to what Erica had been through.
After what felt like forever, the genetic results came back. Elias tested positive for Li-Fraumeni; Lazarus, fortunately, does not carry the gene. Although Elias has not yet, been diagnosed with cancer, he does have to be scanned and examined annually at Portland's Doernbecher Children's Cancer Center. Just being in a children's cancer institute is super emotional for both Erica and Paul.
Paul and Erica are aware of what could possibly be expected in the future. Erica's worst fear is not living long enough to be by her son's side when he will need her the most.
Paul is a Photographer who is self-employed and has continuously been by Erica's side and taken care of Erica from day one. He is the love of her life. He is an awesome father and husband. Over the summer, Paul was offered a rare opportunity to make some much-needed money. He knows there are days that Erica is too ill to work, so Paul has been working extremely hard to bring in a steady income. In October, Paul just finished touring with DJ SNAKE and the rest of the tour group. Sadly, Paul came home to bad news; Erica's cancer is back. She has had tw0 surgeries this month to remove four tumors. Another setback, Pauls normal job that brought steady income is no longer available to him.
Erica is a teacher's assistant in a Montessori school in Portland, Oregon. She is an incredibly loving mother and a kind and sweet human being. She is always positive and will smile at you no matter what. You would never know all the pain and fear she lives with every day if you were to meet her. She never complains, she is the most giving , fun loving, patient and happy, positive person I know. She is an inspiration to all who know her.
Erica was an only child and lost both her Parents when she was 14 years old to Cancer. Both her parents passed only months apart and they were in their mid 30's. Another worry on Erica's mind; she is now 37, the age of her mother when she passed away from Colon Cancer. She can't help but think of her age and that of her mother when she passed. 37 is scary year for Erica and it proved to be another challenging one.
At the age of 14, Erica was taken in by Janet, one of her Mother's best friends and Janet's family. Janet had three children of her own at the time and her husband when Erica's Mother passed away. Linda, Erica's Mother, was a single parent. Janet and her family became Erica's family from that day forward. They love and support her in every way possible, and have been there for Erica since she was 14 years-old.
They do all they can to help her , but what Erica and Paul really need is help with their financial obligations, medical bills and a dream come true would be quality time together as a family. The ability to allow Erica to focus on her health and make precious memories with her children without worrying about money to pay the bills and hopefully set up a trust fund for Eli for his medical expenses and future care, especially if something were to happen to Erica, would be one less thing for Erica to worry about.
Erica just wants to be a Mother to her children for as long as she is blessed with the health to do so. Please visit Erica Garcia's FB page learn more about her and her family. Also, go to Paul's FB page he is sole owner and operator of Merc Photography. He is an awesome photographer and if he could land a steady job doing photography, with a good income to support his family, that too would be a dream come true.
Please pray for Erica and Elias's health and well-being. Erica is looking for more educated and specialized Li-Fraumeni doctors. If you have any information, it is equally if not more appreciated. Erica has decided that if they need to move for more skilled professionals to help them, they will do it.
Thank you in advance for taking the time to learn about Erica and Elias.
All funds will go directly to Erica and her family, and she has gladly agreed to post how the funds will be used.
Erica got breast cancer at the age of 27. She has been battling Cancer for almost 12 years and has had a total of 10 surgeries. After a lumpectomy, then a bilateral mastectomy, Erica had a DIEP Flap reconstructive surgery in 2011. It took her years to recover from the 14-hour surgery which consisted of six months of bed rest due to the surgical sites at both her breast reconstruction and her abdomen. Her core strength, body insecurities, and emotional struggles with the disease still challenge her today. She continues to experience long lasting side effects of numbness and tingling in her hands from the chemotherapy. This can make it very challenging to do her dream work as a special education preschool teacher. Her dream.
When Erica was at her lowest battling her first diagnosis of breast cancer, after several months of chemo and losing all her hair, when her now husband Paul Garcia, asked Erica to marry him. During their first appointments, they were told by her doctors she would not be able to have children. Although this thought was devastating at the time to both of them who planned a life together, both Paul and Erica agreed they would adopt.
They were married on April 4, 2009, and miraculously on their honeymoon she conceived her first son Lazarus, who will soon be 7. We called him the miracle child. Then to our surprise, only a few short months after Lazarus was born, Elias was conceived and will soon be 6.
After being diagnosed two more times with breast cancer, after the boys were born, Erica was tested for the Li-Fraumeni gene. After she tested positive, it was a 50/50 chance her boys could carry the gene too. It was a very scary time for Erica and Paul - the last thing they could imagine is their children experiencing anything similar to what Erica had been through.
After what felt like forever, the genetic results came back. Elias tested positive for Li-Fraumeni; Lazarus, fortunately, does not carry the gene. Although Elias has not yet, been diagnosed with cancer, he does have to be scanned and examined annually at Portland's Doernbecher Children's Cancer Center. Just being in a children's cancer institute is super emotional for both Erica and Paul.
Paul and Erica are aware of what could possibly be expected in the future. Erica's worst fear is not living long enough to be by her son's side when he will need her the most.
Paul is a Photographer who is self-employed and has continuously been by Erica's side and taken care of Erica from day one. He is the love of her life. He is an awesome father and husband. Over the summer, Paul was offered a rare opportunity to make some much-needed money. He knows there are days that Erica is too ill to work, so Paul has been working extremely hard to bring in a steady income. In October, Paul just finished touring with DJ SNAKE and the rest of the tour group. Sadly, Paul came home to bad news; Erica's cancer is back. She has had tw0 surgeries this month to remove four tumors. Another setback, Pauls normal job that brought steady income is no longer available to him.
Erica is a teacher's assistant in a Montessori school in Portland, Oregon. She is an incredibly loving mother and a kind and sweet human being. She is always positive and will smile at you no matter what. You would never know all the pain and fear she lives with every day if you were to meet her. She never complains, she is the most giving , fun loving, patient and happy, positive person I know. She is an inspiration to all who know her.
Erica was an only child and lost both her Parents when she was 14 years old to Cancer. Both her parents passed only months apart and they were in their mid 30's. Another worry on Erica's mind; she is now 37, the age of her mother when she passed away from Colon Cancer. She can't help but think of her age and that of her mother when she passed. 37 is scary year for Erica and it proved to be another challenging one.
At the age of 14, Erica was taken in by Janet, one of her Mother's best friends and Janet's family. Janet had three children of her own at the time and her husband when Erica's Mother passed away. Linda, Erica's Mother, was a single parent. Janet and her family became Erica's family from that day forward. They love and support her in every way possible, and have been there for Erica since she was 14 years-old.
They do all they can to help her , but what Erica and Paul really need is help with their financial obligations, medical bills and a dream come true would be quality time together as a family. The ability to allow Erica to focus on her health and make precious memories with her children without worrying about money to pay the bills and hopefully set up a trust fund for Eli for his medical expenses and future care, especially if something were to happen to Erica, would be one less thing for Erica to worry about.
Erica just wants to be a Mother to her children for as long as she is blessed with the health to do so. Please visit Erica Garcia's FB page learn more about her and her family. Also, go to Paul's FB page he is sole owner and operator of Merc Photography. He is an awesome photographer and if he could land a steady job doing photography, with a good income to support his family, that too would be a dream come true.
Please pray for Erica and Elias's health and well-being. Erica is looking for more educated and specialized Li-Fraumeni doctors. If you have any information, it is equally if not more appreciated. Erica has decided that if they need to move for more skilled professionals to help them, they will do it.
Thank you in advance for taking the time to learn about Erica and Elias.
All funds will go directly to Erica and her family, and she has gladly agreed to post how the funds will be used.
Organizer and beneficiary
Adolfo Benavides
Organizer
Calistoga, CA
Erica Garcia
Beneficiary