Dear Family, Friends, and Kind Strangers,

My name is Ifiya Ranger Akindana, and I’m writing this with a heavy heart and a desperate hope. My father, Steve, is fighting for his life.

In 2021, our world turned upside down when my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 Renal Cell Carcinoma — an aggressive form of kidney cancer that has since metastasized to his spine, brain, and eye. Once active, vibrant, and full of life, my father now depends on a walker, has lost sight in one eye, and suffers daily from excruciating pain as the cancer continues to attack his body.

Before this, my dad used to climb Baldwin Hills with ease, practice Wing Chung, Tai Chi and yoga by my side, put his life on the line as a bodyguard for over 30 years, shoot hoops with me on weekends and made sure we knew where he was from as a Jamaican. He was strong — mentally and physically — and he loved life. He is the father of two, a grandfather of four, and has been married to the love of his life for over 30 years. Watching him fade into a shell of the man we know — while still fighting with every ounce of strength he has left — is something I never imagined I’d witness.

Since January, things have gotten even harder. Following policy changes, we lost a significant portion of the healthcare assistance that was helping keep him alive. We now owe over $40,000 to Johns Hopkins alone, and we were forced to pause treatment just to keep from drowning in debt. Imagine having to choose between continuing care for your father or protecting your family from financial ruin.

No one should ever have to make that decision.

We’re starting this GoFundMe to ask for help. Real help. Life-saving help.

Funds raised will go toward:

* Paying down overwhelming medical debt

* Exploring holistic or alternative treatment options

* Covering ongoing care, mobility support, and pain management

Every dollar donated is a step closer to giving my dad another chance. A chance to fight this without the burden of medical bills suffocating our family’s hope. A chance to pursue a treatment that might help. A chance to hold his grandkids without pain. A chance to live.

If you can’t donate, please share this. Your words, your prayers, and your support mean the world to us.

Cancer has taken too much already — his vision, his independence, his peace. We’re not ready for it to take his life too.

With love,

Ranger Family