Help Rafael fight Stage 4 lung cancer

Meet Rafael - a devoted father, viola maestro, and beloved music teacher. Unfortunately, Rafael has been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, and his family has been struggling to cope with the physical, emotional, and financial toll it has taken on them.

Months of chemotherapy, emergency room visits, a week-long inpatient hospital stay, and painful complications have led to soaring costs. Rafael and his family are fighters, but the costs have mounted, and they could use your help.

Rafael’s cancer, caused by a rare mutation (an EGFR Exon 20 insertion), has limited Rafael's ability to do what he loves - playing music and teaching his students in his studio. And it has been a tremendous hardship for his family.

Rafael has a wife Kim, an 11-year-old son Carlos, a dog (Roger The Puppy), two cats (Clara and Nikki The Gallina), and two guinea pigs (Snickers and Oreo). Rafael also has wonderful family and friends in Costa Rica who he misses dearly. Rafael is Catholic, Kim is Unitarian Universalist, and they are grateful for prayers from any denomination or faith background.

I have known Rafael and his family for decades now, and they have always been the first to offer aid and support to others in need. Now it's our turn to come together and help them in their time of need. Every donation can help, so please give what you can to support this first-rate family during this time.

Kindly,

Ben Kaufmann-Malaga & Ashland Doomes