Rosa's loved ones know her strength and kindness. Her three kids - 17, 13, and 9 - adore her, and I consider her a personal hero. My sister has been there for me through the trials of our childhood, and I can honestly say that without her I would not be the person I am today. She taught me that even when the odds are against you, there is still a path towards joy. But even a person as steadfast as my sister would falter in the face of her recent struggles.

I'm crowdfunding on her behalf, because for the last year her spleen has been enlarged. She is pain every single day. She was able to gather help from family to cover the costs of the blood transfusions she was prescribed, and this treatment was working and shrinking her spleen. Unfortunately, these funds ran out in November. She intended to be discharged from the health care she was receiving, but her spleen has enlarged in the months without transfusions, and her doctor has expressed how grave the consequences of her continuing untreated would be.

My first and most urgent goal is to cover an ultrasound-guided breast biopsy. The cost of this is $3,014 (per Turquoise Health for Memorial Hermann Greater Heights) and the rest of the money would go towards the website's fees and Rosa's health journey. You see the breast biopsy is our first goal, and our most urgent, however Rosa's need is great. She's without health insurance. Our parents brought her to the U.S. at 8 years old when they immigrated in 1995. She has not had the opportunity to thrive. Rosa needs monthly blood transfusions - which ring up at $36k every 6 months - to keep her iron and cell count steady while the doctors look for cancer cells, for an answer as to why this is all happening. This search would involve an endoscopy & colonoscopy ($8200); and a bone marrow aspiration & biopsy ($45k).

It hurts to see my sister under so much pressure. Those numbers are frankly terrifying. She is too young and too needed for her story to end anytime soon. Please, help me help her.

Here are some ways you can help:

Thank you for your time!