Fight for Ernesto: Overcome CIDP Paralysis

Hi, my name is Danielle Alvarez, and I’m reaching out on behalf of my incredible father, Ernesto Olvera.

Earlier this year, my dad was diagnosed with a rare and debilitating autoimmune disease called Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP). This condition causes the immune system to attack the nerves, leading to progressive and severe muscle weakness.

His symptoms began in December 2024, and by February 2025, he was hospitalized at UCSF and diagnosed with CIDP. Tragically, that same month, he became completely paralyzed from the waist down. The disease has since progressed to his diaphragm, leaving him unable to breathe on his own. In March, he underwent a tracheostomy and has been dependent on a ventilator ever since.

There is hope. A new medication called Vyvgart has been proven to help people with CIDP. My dad has been approved for treatment through both the pharmaceutical company and his insurance — but only in an outpatient setting.

Here’s the heartbreaking catch: he cannot be treated as an outpatient because he is still on a ventilator and cannot leave the hospital. He is currently in an acute care facility, working hard every single day to rebuild his strength. But without addressing the root of the disease, it’s nearly impossible for him to make the progress he needs to get off the ventilator and begin recovery.

We’ve explored every avenue, and while Vyvgart has connected us with charitable foundations, there are no funds currently available. Each injection costs $20,000, and he will need four treatments to start.

We are humbly asking for your support to help cover the $80,000 needed for his treatment. Your generosity can give my dad a fighting chance to breathe on his own, walk again, and return to the life he loves.

If you know my dad, you know how deeply he cares for others — always the first to lend a hand, to encourage, to serve. Now, he needs our help.

Please consider donating and sharing this campaign. Every dollar, every share, every prayer matters.

From the bottom of our hearts — thank you.