JR, a local legend and our skewer guy

Hi, my name is Simone, and I currently live in Tamarindo, Costa Rica. This is my family's second year here being snowbirds in paradise, skipping the snow and cold in Toronto. There are many things to love about Tamarindo, but one of the best, the absolute best, has been getting to know JR, from JR's Grill.

JR's Grill Tamarindo - is a small street-side portable grill that JR mans seven days a week in the parking lot next to Pico's restaurant. From this tiny little grill, under a rainbow umbrella, JR sells chicken and pork skewers for passersby, a smile always included. JR has told me many times he loves his job and takes pride in the sauces he creates, repeating (rightfully) that he has the best barbeque in Tamarindo.

My son Micah and I found JR last year on our walks back from Micah's tennis, exhausted and hungry - what better time for a street skewer? JR's energy and enthusiasm, his passion for his food, is evident. He takes pride in what he does, and stopping by for a skewer became routine. On occasion, we would flag him on the way to tennis to let him know we would be stopping by later, and he would always have two chicken skewers ready and waiting for us on our way back.

Micah couldn't wait to go back to see JR when we returned this year. JR greeted us warmly and the whole family had skewers watching the gorgeous Tamarindo sunset within the first few days of coming back. But something was different with JR. He was thinner, not as robust as last year, more tired-looking. A few weeks after returning, I noticed his ears were swollen and black. Concerned, I asked what was wrong. He brushed it off and said not to worry.

But two days later his ears were worse. He let me take him out for breakfast.

JR has lymphoma. He was diagnosed with it three years ago when he went to the doctor to complain about itchy ears. They were swelling and developing black spots, like a dalmatian, he said. Tamarindo is nowhere near a hospital. JR doesn't have a car so he would take public transit to the public hospital, a five-hour trip each way to San Jose with no ability to leave the bus or go to the bathroom. He started chemo and radiation, taking the bus to San Jose once a month. The trips were painful and cut into his business time, so he barely finished the chemo/ radiation.

He also had surgery at the public hospital in San Jose to remove multiple tumours found on his foot and shoulder as well. He said the surgery was better than the chemo and radiation because he was able to sleep at the hospital those nights - otherwise he was spending 10 hours on a bus within 24 hours.

Thankfully, two years ago, after completing his chemo, radiation and surgeries, the lymphoma went into remission.

It is now back. There was another tumour on his neck that needs to be biopsied, and he needs to return to San Jose for treatment. Riding on an unairconditioned bus for five hours from Tamarindo to San Jose and then back again would be excruciating for anyone, let alone JR who is in an immense amount of pain on a good day. His pain medicine costs USD $20 daily unless he can make it to the local hospital here to get the pain meds for free, but without a car, it would take half a day to do so, making it impossible for him to sell skewers. He is barely making ends meet. He lives just out of town, renting a room in a shared apartment, and has no family to support him.

The thing with Lymphoma is that it is curable if found and treated early, but at this stage, JR has to pick between making a living to survive and getting treatment to survive.

I asked him what would make his life easier, if anything. He said money for his pain medicine (ibuprofen often sells at $1/ pill here) and a car would permit him to go to the local hospital for pain meds and treatment in San Jose without taking public transit. It would make it easier to buy and transport the chicken and pork for his skewers, hopefully increasing his income as well.

So that's the ask. 10K Canadian would be life-changing for JR. Please help me reach that goal. Obviously every penny will go to him, I will see to it.

Thank you!

Simone