Help My Mother Fight Breast Cancer

I'm Elenita Berroteran and I really never thought about doing this but my family is going through a financial struggle right now to keep up with the basics to help with my mom's needs. My mom, Elena Califano, came last year from Venezuela to the US in order to try to get help with her cancer treatment needed after she found out she had a stage III breast cancer and after the removal surgery she had to leave the country because they told her there was not treatment for her or anyone there due to the country situation. Once here I tried to take her to Jackson Memorial Hospital twice with no luck. They refused to take care of her in because she was under a visitor’s visa and she is not a legal resident here unless the full price was paid. I also tried the cancer society and anything that I thought can help but no luck at all.

I was finally able to get a humanitarian help from the Episcopal Church in Puerto Rico through my cousin that made a few calls and was able to set up a meeting with the medical team in Ponce PR to consider her for this so needed treatment. Thankfully they agreed to do this humanitarian help by approving the treatments that involved Chemo done at the San Lucas Episcopal Hospital. She started on August of 2016 and has received 16 chemo sessions and 36 radiotherapy. When she had 3 more weeks left to go on June 12, 2017 they told her they found three tumors/masses in the right breast and they needed to remove it asap and scheduled this surgery for June 28.  I flew here to PR and decided stay here to support her emotionally because we have no one here, just new friends that have been very helpful. Surgery was done and according to the amazing and so helpful team of doctors they are waiting on the results to be able to determine what treatment will be necessary but unfortunately the hospital won't be able help covering the expenses if chemo or hormone therapy is necessary but only radiation therapy. Now during all this time I managed to cover basic lodging, food, transportation, medicines, etc.  expenses for her but unfortunately these have become a huge burden to me that I have been the only financial support for her and my father that is currently now in Venezuela. Now she also needs asap to get a “Pet  CT Scan” test (cost of approx. $1500- $2000 in PR) that will not be covered by the hospital.

I do want to give thanks to my closest friends and family for their support and whose have helped me through this tough time and I do want to thank you in advance with any help I will be getting here though this site.

Cancer really sucks!! but my mother is a very strong woman and we will continue to fight this together. We are in God’s hands.