I'm writing this GoFundMe on behalf of our long-time, close family friends (The Gorham Family) and their precious Cancer Warrior, Sophi Sanchez.

Sophi is an amazing soul- far beyond her years- with a vibrancy for life, and a smile that lights up any room! Despite her young age, Sophi has faced CANCER with courage and grace. This little girl and her family need our help!

In 2017, they were given the news that no parent/grandparent should ever have to hear "Your baby girl has CANCER!" Sophi was just 9 years old when she was first diagnosed with Rhabdomysarcoma.

She completed chemotherapy and radiation, her hair was growing back, and she was finally getting back to a normal life.

Sadly, that joy was short lived.  

In 2019, her cancer returned. This time they found masses in her chest and pelvis. Brave Sophi has been fighting ever since.

Last week, devastating news again, Sophi has a third tumor- this time in the chest/lung area! She will have Proton Radiation for the tumor that is near her heart and liver. The third (new) tumor will be treated with Proton Radiation as well. She can not have surgery in this area as it is too dangerous.

Sophi just celebrated her 12th birthday in April.

Next Tuesday, Sept 22, Sophi is scheduled for surgery to remove her bladder and the lymph nodes around it. This will remove her original tumor and hopefully all cancer cells in the area.

She may need pin-pointed radiation and chemotherapy here as well. She will also have a Urinary Stoma placed at this time. This will help her quality of life and hopefully alleviate her bladder pain.

Her treatment has been at University of Minnesota Children's Masonic. However, this is not a surgery nor radiation that they can handle, and Sophi has been transferred to the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota. The new hospital is 2.5 hours from home.

Sophi's mom, Jenny, will be unable to work at this time. (As it is, she was just getting back from 6 months time off, in order to take care of Sophi during her most recent rounds of Cancer Treatments).

As a mother, I can't imagine what they have been through, nor what lies ahead. All I know is, this little girl needs her Mama...and her Mama needs to be there for her precious little girl!

Her stepdad "Bonus Dad" (as she calls him), Adam, will also be missing work for some of her treatments. He has been a rock for Sophi! 

Her parents' vacation time has all been used to take care of Sophi and to get her to treatments over the last 3 years. They have exhausted any paid time off.

Sophi's father, Ruben, is Active Duty in the United States Army. Thankfully, he was recently transferred to be closer to Sophi. 

In addition, Sophi has 4 siblings.  They love their little sister so much! Cancer has been so hard on this family. (See more info about the family below.)

Please consider donating anything you can, no matter how small, and pass this information along to anyone you know. Also please keep Sophi and her family in your thoughts and prayers.

If you would like to learn more, and become part of "Sophi's Warriors #fightforsophi," please follow her journey on Facebook. 

Here is more information about Sophi's upcoming treatments:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1774270289255528/permalink/3842698999079303/

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month. The statistics are staggering- 1 in 4! We have to stop this. We must #fightwithsophi

A little about the family:

Ruben Jr, 18- Active Duty in the United States Army. Currently stationed in Colorado. He is excited to be coming home to visit his baby sister in Oct.

Annabelle, 17- Senior in High School, Academic Decathlon, Solo Ensemble, works extra hours to help the family. Currently applying for college. She also often takes care of her younger siblings while her mom is at the hospital with Sophi.

Jasmine, 16- Junior in High School, FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America), FFA, Art Club, Academic Decathlon, and Wrestling Team Manager. She is in all Honors and AP classes, and maintains straight A’s.

Abe, 14- Freshman in High School, plays High School Football. He has aspirations of being a Wild Land Firefighter.

I grew up with Jennifer (Sophi’s mom), Tanya, and Zach Gorham in 4-H/FFA, as well as our parents and grandparents in 4-H before us! We are 3rd generation family friends, all graduating from El Capitan High School, in Lakeside, California.

Sophi's grandfather ("Papa") is Matt Gorham, Junior Fair Auctioneer. He has dedicated countless hours to the youth of our community, East County, San Diego and beyond. 

Sophi's father, Ruben (Sanchez) Gonzalez, is a graduate of El Capitan High School as well. He is an Intelligence Analyst PV2 for the United States Army. He has been deployed to Iraq (twice), Kuwait, Germany, Poland, and Hungary.

This family means the world to us, and would give the shirt off their back to anyone. Their family needs us now!

Below is some info about Sophi's Journey through the eyes of her mother...

7/7/17 our world’s were rocked with the words no parent ever wants to hear "your baby girl has cancer!" Sophi was only 9 years old! She had such a long road, with so many hurdles and bumps.

8/14/18 was her last chemo. That September, she was NED (No Evidence of Disease), and we were so joyous...so happy that she would be able to live a normal childhood again!

That joy was short lived.

On 10/29/19, Sophi was taken to the hospital for what we thought was appendicitis. Her dad had just returned home from overseas and was visiting, getting ready to fly back to his duty station. Her step father was at work. The doctors walked in to say that there were masses in Sophi's chest and pelvic region, and she had to be transported immediately to UMMCH Children's Masonic for further testing.

The only words I could get out to her daddy were "get off the plane," and to her step father were "get here now!" PET scans, CT scans, MRI, Xrays, Ultrasounds, and Biopsies all confirmed our worst fears- her cancer had returned!

By the end of the week Sophi had her treatment port placed, a tube in her kidney (as the mass was starting to cause kidney distress), and she was losing kidney function. We elected for immunotherapy and she was released to go home 11/6/19.

Her daddy left to go back to the Army, her step dad went back to work, and I used my vacation and sick time to be with her.

By Friday 11/8/19, Sophi was back in the hospital for the worst allergic reaction that I have ever seen! It was a bad reaction to the immunotherapy.

Our entire family took a hit. You see Sophi, is the youngest of 5! She has 3 older siblings at home, while her oldest brother is far away living out his dream career in the Army.

Many of my co-workers would drive Sophi's oldest sister home from work, as we worked in the same building. Her other sister and brother would get themselves to and from school, while her stepdad and I made the almost 2 hour trek from Minneapolis to Stanley daily, in order to make sure the other kids were taken care of as well. It truly was a community effort.

Sophi has been hospitalized more than she has been home!

This year, Covid has only complicated things. The stress/anxiety of taking a sick child anywhere, let alone to doctors appointments, scans, and treatments is tough. And, it has been extra hard financially. Sophi has again been doing Chemo/Radiation and there have been a lot of complications along the way.

I come to you as a mother with little in the way of options. We have no paid time left.  Sophi is scared, her brother's and sister's are scared, and we as parents are scared too.

Despite all that she has been through, Sophi ALWAYS has her smile, and a joy for life. No matter the setbacks, how crummy she feels, or the challenges she is faced with, she continues to fight and spread her joy. She is a light...and I only hope she will shine light into your life too!

For more information or to contact the family:
[email redacted]

You can also send Sophi a personal message of encouragement.