Love and Healing for Xavi Lopez & Family
Donation protected
After a week of unexplained fevers and two visits to the pediatrician, our beautiful 3-month-old son Xavi, our rainbow baby who was born on New Year's Eve 2020, was ordered blood work, revealing he has a type of leukemia. We have been admitted to the oncology floor at Boston Children's Hospital as of April 17, 2021. Further testing found he has AML (acute myeloid leukemia). Less than two weeks ago, Xavi and I enjoyed walking big sister to and from kindergarten, doing errands, and exploring the world together. Today, he is being pumped with 10-15 intensive medications and has already undergone several procedures in the OR.
Baby Xavi has begun intensive chemotherapy and will be inpatient in the hospital for at least two months. At the end of two months, his treatment team will assess how he is responding and at that point he will either have a bone marrow transplant or continue with chemo for another 2-3 months at minimum. Long-term, we are looking at approximately two years of ongoing treatment.
Due to COVID, 6-year-old sister Nina is unable to even visit the hospital (no siblings permitted). We cannot even offer her childcare and comfort in our son's own hospital room. She already misses her parents and her baby brother dearly.
In addition to the emotional and spiritual distress we are experiencing, there are many financial repercussions we must face. I cannot work (and will soon need to begin paying back school loans for my MSW), Galo has to take time away from work, and we have many new expenses on our plate. Insurance does not cover all medical costs and Xavi’s treatment protocol incurs expenses outside of insurance. There is also gas money needed to drive to and from the hospital daily to ensure we are seeing both our children regularly; meals; parking; self-care needs; our own medical and mental health needs; supplies for hospital room; necessary summer camp and other coverage for Nina, and many other unforeseen costs. We are so grateful and blessed for the support and assistance we have already received from so many loved ones and look to our village to continue to uphold us in our most vulnerable time of need. We would be lost without you.
"At every moment of our lives, we all have one foot in a fairy tale, and the other in the abyss." -Paulo Coelho
Xavi is a magical fairy tale, a tiny joyful elf. And yet he has beckoned us to the brink of the abyss, compelling us to look over the edge and stare horror in the face.
"A warrior never gives into fear when he is searching for what he needs.
Without love, he is nothing." - P.C.
"The challenge will not wait.
Life does not look back.
A week is more than enough time for us to decide whether or not to accept our destiny." -P.C.
Baby Xavi has begun intensive chemotherapy and will be inpatient in the hospital for at least two months. At the end of two months, his treatment team will assess how he is responding and at that point he will either have a bone marrow transplant or continue with chemo for another 2-3 months at minimum. Long-term, we are looking at approximately two years of ongoing treatment.
Due to COVID, 6-year-old sister Nina is unable to even visit the hospital (no siblings permitted). We cannot even offer her childcare and comfort in our son's own hospital room. She already misses her parents and her baby brother dearly.
In addition to the emotional and spiritual distress we are experiencing, there are many financial repercussions we must face. I cannot work (and will soon need to begin paying back school loans for my MSW), Galo has to take time away from work, and we have many new expenses on our plate. Insurance does not cover all medical costs and Xavi’s treatment protocol incurs expenses outside of insurance. There is also gas money needed to drive to and from the hospital daily to ensure we are seeing both our children regularly; meals; parking; self-care needs; our own medical and mental health needs; supplies for hospital room; necessary summer camp and other coverage for Nina, and many other unforeseen costs. We are so grateful and blessed for the support and assistance we have already received from so many loved ones and look to our village to continue to uphold us in our most vulnerable time of need. We would be lost without you.
"At every moment of our lives, we all have one foot in a fairy tale, and the other in the abyss." -Paulo Coelho
Xavi is a magical fairy tale, a tiny joyful elf. And yet he has beckoned us to the brink of the abyss, compelling us to look over the edge and stare horror in the face.
"A warrior never gives into fear when he is searching for what he needs.
Without love, he is nothing." - P.C.
"The challenge will not wait.
Life does not look back.
A week is more than enough time for us to decide whether or not to accept our destiny." -P.C.
Organizer and beneficiary
Maria White
Organizer
Watertown, MA
Galo Lopez
Beneficiary