Our beloved brother Guillermo (Mo) Mata was sent to the Emergency Room late Monday, December 15 after a couple of months of severe abdominal pain. He was initially misdiagnosed with ulcers, but after many tests, his doctors have determined that he has a very rare form of cancer know as high-grade, stage IV, neuroendocrine carcinoma (NETs). This type of cancer is faster growing and more aggressive than other forms of NETs and is always malignant (spreading to other organs). Neuroendocrine cells are normal cells found throughout the body that release hormones into the blood once they are signaled to do so by the nervous system. Sometimes these normal cells undergo mutations leading them to form malignant tumors. It is not clearly understood what exactly causes these mutations or how they can be prevented.

There is nothing Mo did to get this disease or anything he could have done to prevent it. In Mo’s case, the tumor originated in his colon, but it has now spread to his liver. He is currently experiencing poor liver function and is beginning chemotherapy today. He is very tired and fighting this cancer with everything he has in him while staying optimistic and strong.

As a family we ask for your help by donating to his GoFundMe account. Your donations will help with his hospital bills and other daily expenses that he is unable to pay for at this time due to his inability to work.

We would like to thank you all for your positive thoughts and for keeping him in your prayers. It is so comforting to have such a considerable outpouring of love, support, and prayers, which is the perfect recipe to get him through this.