Help Support Zaida and Her Mom During the most scary situation of their lives.
A few weeks ago, our family’s world shattered in ways we never imagined.
Zaida is only 12 years old. She’s bright, loving, and full of life . She is a middle schooler who loves to sing, dotes on her dog, and laugh endlessly with her brothers and cousins. She has the kind of smile that makes you forget your worries. Even now, in the middle of this diagnosis, she is remaining positive.
A few months ago, Zaida began having seizures. We think she probably started having seizures long before anyone noticed. Most recently, Zaida may have suffered another seizure at school and fell down the stairs. This prompted an emergency visit where doctors found a tumor on Zaida’s brain.
Last week, Zaida underwent brain surgery at Stanford. Surgeons were able to remove most of the tumor, but not all of it. Because of its location in the hippocampus, part had to be left behind. Now, we are anxiously waiting for test results to learn whether the tumor is cancerous, and concerns remain about how the tumor left behind may affect her.
Since surgery, Zaida has experienced blurred vision in one eye. Doctors are closely monitoring her speech and communication. We are taking it day by day, and putting this is Gods hands.
And through all of this, Zaida’s mom, Juanita, has not left her side, but no mother, or parent, should have to endure this type of situation at all.
Juanita is a devoted, hardworking mother of three. She has always worked full-time, and she often picks up extra shifts just to make ends meet. She is essentially a single parent and is doing everything to provide for her children.
But now, she needs the help from this community.
They have health insurance, but they do not have Medi-Cal. The medical bills are piling up from surgery, imaging, medications, follow-up appointments, and ongoing care. On top of that, Juanita has to take time off work to care for Zaida during recovery and attend follow up appointments, and she's not sure how she will be able to do that. She is off work for the next month while the doctors assess Zaida's progress.
This is a rural area when it comes to healthcare specialists, and that means that the follow up appointments are a 1 hour drive one way. Juanita's car has been on the fritz for months as well, and making it to these appointments has been so hard for her.
Anyone who knows Juanita knows how selfless she is. She is the person who shows up first, who gives even when she has nothing left, who has literally given her last dollars to help someone else in need. She has always carried others through their hardest moments, and she has never asked for anything, from anybody, in return.
Now, for the first time, she is the one who needs help.
We think you clicked on this post because you were meant to be part of this family's healing journey.
We know how difficult things are right now for everybody economically, but even if you can spare $1, we will gratefully and graciously accept it.
Every single donation will go towards the unexpected medical bills and living expenses.
If you cannot donate, will you please share this page and keep Zaida and her family in your prayers? That alone means more than you know.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your kindness, compassion, and love during this incredibly painful chapter. We will continue to share updates as Zaida moves forward on this journey.
God bless you for taking the time to read, to care, and to help.
Remember, even your $1 will make a SIGNIFICANT difference for this family during this unthinkable time.