My name is Sara and I am asking for monetary donations on behalf of my close friends, Heather, Chris, and their 11-year-old son, Charlie, who was just diagnosed with cancer. Charlie is fighting Osteosarcoma, which has resulted in a 7-inch tumor in his arm.

Who is Charlie?

He’s an 11-year-old boy originally from Buffalo, NY and full of life, has a love for BBQ chips, video games, and his favorite team, the Buffalo Bills. GO BILLS!! He’s in the 6th grade at Island Village Montessori School in Venice, Florida—just like so many kids his age, full of dreams, adventures, and excitement for the future.

What happened?

It started as a simple complaint of arm pain that soon led to the heartbreaking discovery of a 7-inch tumor in his arm in Dec 2024. While other children were eagerly awaiting the holidays, Charlie and his mom found themselves in a hospital room, two hours from home, meeting with an oncologist on Christmas Eve. The diagnosis was devastating: Charlie has cancer. His world—and his family’s—was turned upside down in an instant.

Now what?

Charlie is no longer able to attend school and he faces a long and difficult journey ahead. He will undergo 12 weeks of chemotherapy to shrink the tumor in his arm, followed by a major surgery to remove the tumor and part of his bone. Then the battle continues with additional rounds of chemotherapy and, lastly, intense physical therapy.

How will your donation be used?

The medical bills alone will be overwhelming, with out-of-pocket expenses expected to exceed $20,000. Chemo will require multiple hospital stays in Tampa and Ft. Myers FL, which is over an hour away from their home. So donations will also help with travel expenses and lodging. There will also be a loss of income while time will be needed off work to be with Charlie during treatments and recovery.

Charlie’s family is doing everything they can to stay strong and support him, but they can’t do this alone. They need our help.

Please, open your heart to Charlie and his family. Your support will help make this unimaginable journey a little bit easier. Together, we can give Charlie the strength to fight—and the hope to heal.