Dearest friends and family,

A year ago, 45 year old Araceli Gomez, a dear friend of mine in Mexico, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She was told that she needed an operation and has spent the last year advocating for herself, against all odds, going back and forth between Puebla and Oaxaca (20 hr bus ride), to meet with doctors with the hope that she could get the surgery she needed. Finally, on July 1st, she went to Puebla for her operation, accompanied by her two daughters, her uncle, and her sister. Tragically, there were serious complications during her operation. They were not able to remove the tumor, and she almost lost her life on the operating table. Since the operation, she has had two surgeries, one to help her breathe and another for her digestion. The doctors were able to biopsy the tumor, and we are waiting for the results of that biopsy. From what I understand, she has very little movement control of her body at this point and has been asleep or in a coma for two weeks. Yesterday, she awoke for a bit and was unable to speak but was responsive and then fell back asleep.

Her family loves her deeply and have dropped everything at home, their jobs, their responsibilities and are committed to being with her in Puebla as long as she is there. I am asking friends and family abroad to help support Chely and her family through this painful and difficult moment. They are living in a foreign city, far from their support networks and do not have enough money for food and rent. A little bit of money goes a long way down here, so any amount will be helpful to her family to provide her with the support she needs and they need to make it through this trying time. Thank you so much for your donations, it means so much.