Dear friends, family, and kind supporters,

Marcelo urgently needs a liver transplant to survive, and our family is reaching out for help. We’re deeply grateful for your love and prayers during this challenging time. My husband, Marcelo Dalmacio, is the heart of our family of eight—a devoted father to our six children (ages 3-14) and our sole provider. Marcelo’s resilience has always carried us through, but now he faces a life-threatening battle with end-stage liver disease. His only hope for survival is an urgent liver transplant, and we need your help to offset the immense costs of his medical care and our family’s needs during his recovery.

About six months ago, Marcelo began experiencing alarming symptoms: jaundice (yellowing skin and eyes), severe abdominal pain and swelling, constant fatigue, itchy skin and weight loss. His condition worsened rapidly, leading to a life-threatening complication—gastrointestinal varices and an enlarged spleen. An emergency operation to band eight varices and remove part of his spleen kept him hospitalized due to the risk of uncontrolled bleeding. Tests confirmed the cause: end-stage liver disease (cirrhosis), where scar tissue has replaced healthy liver tissue, severely impairing its function. Specialists at UCI MED and UCSD Center for transplant have confirmed that no medications or treatments can reverse this damage. Marcelo’s only path to recovery is a liver transplant. He’s working through the rigorous steps to join the transplant list, but time is critical, and the financial burden is overwhelming.

Marcelo’s transplant process is expected to cost more than one hundred and fifty thousand, even with insurance. The national average cost of a liver transplant in general is $800k- $1m. We’re raising funds to offset as much of these costs as possible, starting with replacing lost income, keeping our family of eight stable. I will serve as Marcelo’s primary caregiver for 6-12 months post-transplant, requiring childcare for our four children and frequent commutes from Irvine to San Diego for follow-up care. Your donations will help cover urgent ER visits and pre-transplant tests, travel and lodging to UCI and UCSD, lifelong anti-rejection medications, and additional funds for unexpected complications or emergency/family care. Every dollar is managed transparently by Myself, going directly to Marcelo’s medical expenses and our family’s essential needs.

Beyond finances, Marcelo is the dad who lights up our kids’ lives. He’s at every school event, cheering from the sidelines, coaching them at home to build discipline, and surprising them with treats after work. Whether helping with homework or gaming with them on Fortnite and Roblox, he’s their hero. Our children rely on his love and structure, and the uncertainty of his illness weighs heavily on us all. Marcelo is too proud to ask for help, often saying, “I’ll take care of it,” even while hiding his condition to avoid worrying others. But now, it’s our turn to care for him. I, Vanessa, am sharing his story to seek the support he’d never request

Every donation, no matter the size, truly makes a difference for our family. If you can’t donate, sharing this page with your network or keeping us in your prayers means the world. If you’re local and wish to help in other ways—such as offering meals or childcare—please reach out.

We’re profoundly thankful for your support, thoughts, and prayers. Together, we can help Marcelo complete the transplant process and return to being the devoted husband and father who holds our family together. Thank you for standing with us.

UPDATE: (October 9th, 2025): Marcelo was summoned to the ER, with doctors rushing to expedite his transplant due to concerning lab results. He’s close to joining the transplant list, pending psychiatric evaluations required. He’s about 95% there. They will be submitting his case to the committee on Tuesday October 14th. We should hear back soon and anticipate good news. Your support is critical to help offset his ongoing medical costs and sustain our family. Thank you!

UPDATE! October 15th, 2025

After many prayers and candles lit for Marcelo. We found out just now that he was officially placed on the liver transplant candidate list. The Liver Transplant Selection Committee had the opportunity to meet and review the results of those tests on 10/14/2025. “We are pleased to inform you that after careful review and thoughtful consideration, the selection committee agrees that you meet the Selection Criteria and are currently a candidate for liver transplant. You are now Active on the UNOS waiting list:

We cannot thank everyone enough for the prayers and support. God Heard us. We are feeling blessed to have everyone rally behind us through the difficult times. Thank you ❤️

With gratitude and love,

Vanessa and family.