Medical expenses from Stage 4 Colorectal Cancer

My name is Raquel Aguilar and on June 28th I was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic adenocarcinoma with a colon origin.

About me, I come from a small family in California and I was a first generation college student. During the pandemic, I lost my job and managed to find a minimum wage role in property management. I struggled, but kept working on my degree and dreamed of stability. I decided to take a leap and move to Washington state, and by hard work and the grace of God I became a contractor in the tech industry.

I was blessed with a permanent role, and was happy with life. On June 24th of 2023 I was on the beach with new friends, excited about my future. On June 25th I woke up in excruciating pain and after an extensive day in the ER doctors found cancer on my ovaries and liver.

Everything happened fast, between endless doctors visits, liver biopsy, colonoscopy and endoscopy, multiple CT scans, followed by a near week long admittance to the hospital within the last few weeks. Doctors found the origin of my cancer was in my colon, and that it has metastasized to my ovaries, liver, and lungs. Thankfully I have good healthcare, but I am still accumulating medical debt and I’m asking for help.

If you’ve read this far, thank you. I’ve begun sharing my story on Tik Tok to raise awareness that colorectal cancer is no longer an older persons disease. I’ve spoken to hundreds younger than 30 with stage 3 or 4 colon cancer. I’m hoping I can help others, since early detection is key to survival.

Although my prognosis is not good, I’m going to give a good fight.