Help our Dad Fight Stage 4 Cancer & Reunite With His Family

Please help our Dad fight stage 4 cancer and reunite with his family back in the U.S.

Pedro was just days away from coming home when doctors told him he couldn’t fly. His exams showed the risk of a deadly blood clot. That’s when he realized he might not make it back home to us.

Our dad is fighting stage 4 cancer thousands of miles from home. After more than a year of treatments in Costa Rica, he’s exhausted every resource. We’re raising funds to bring him home, cover medical care, and give him the comfort of family by his side. Please donate or share. Every bit makes a difference.

My name is Marcel, and beside me are my sisters, Sassha and Sinead. We’re reaching out, writing this with heavy hearts, to ask for your help on behalf of our dad, Pedro Rodríguez.

Our dad has always been the kind of person who shows up for his family, his friends, and anyone in need. He has worked tirelessly his whole life to give us opportunities he never had. For the past decade, he has poured everything into building a business from the ground up, often working seven days a week, with little to no time to rest or enjoy life for himself. He has always sacrificed so much in order to give us a better future.

Now, he’s facing the toughest battle of his life.

In July of 2024, while in my mom's home country of Costa Rica for their annual health checkups, our worlds suddenly turned upside down. Just two days before flying home to Raleigh, NC, our dad received an alarming call: his bloodwork had come back with serious concerns, and doctors urged him to stay for more testing. Since medical care in Costa Rica is far more affordable than in the US- and because of the costly challenges of health insurance for small business owners- our dad had no health insurance. Therefore, they extended their trip a few days at a time, hoping for answers.

What started as a short visit, quickly became a medical marathon: X-rays, PET scans, biopsies, and endless bloodwork. Then came the diagnosis no one ever wants to hear: Stage 3 lung cancer.

Returning home was no longer possible. Without insurance, the U.S. was no longer an option. Treatment had to begin immediately in Costa Rica. This "short visit" turned into more than a year away from their home, their family, and their work, missing countless moments and milestones, while living day-to-day around hospitals and treatments.

Despite numerous treatments, the cancer has progressed to stage 4. He has endured radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and even explored alternative treatments. He has suffered seizures, significant side effects, and countless setbacks. Through it all, he has continued to fight with faith, strength, and determination, but the toll has been immense.

Our dad’s greatest wish is simple: To come home.

He wants to be here in the U.S., surrounded by his three children, our families, and especially his grandchildren. He dreams of being back on the deck he proudly built himself: grilling, cooking, and laughing with us all together again.

My mom (and my sisters’ step-mom), Hannia, who was recently diagnosed with Lupus herself, has been by his side 24/7 as his full-time caregiver. They haven’t been able to return home in over a year. They haven’t been able to work. They have spent everything they had on treatments, medications, appointments, housing, transportation, and everyday living.

We’ve done everything we can to support our parents, both individually and as a family, but we’ve reached the point where we simply can’t do it alone anymore.

We’re raising funds to:

- Bring our dad back home. Assist with travel and accommodations so he can spend precious time with his loved ones.

- Help cover ongoing medical treatments and medications.

- Provide comfort and quality-of-life care.

- Relieve the financial pressure on my mom, so she can continue focusing on being by his side.

We believe in family. We believe in showing up. And we believe that even in the darkest times, community makes the difference.

If you’re reading this, thank you for being part of our extended family and support system. Every donation, no matter the amount, helps more than you can imagine.

And if you’re not in a position to give right now, we would be so grateful if you shared this campaign with friends, family, coworkers, or your community. Your prayers, shares, and support mean more to us than words can express.

Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.

With love and gratitude,

Marcel, Sassha, Sinead, and Family