Hi, I'm David Larios, a biology PhD student at Caltech from Mexico. I am writing this on behalf of my entire family to ask for support during this challenging time. The person I love most in the world, my mom Brenda Luz Colorado, was recently diagnosed with an extremely rare neurodegenerative disease called Creutzfeldt-Jakob. This condition has been truly cruel to her: it has rendered her unable to communicate and control her own body, and has made her lose most of her muscles and have constant seizures. This has been a devastating blow for all of us, and we are still trying to come to terms with the diagnosis.

Brenda has always been an amazingly loving, caring, intelligent, and compassionate woman who is the heart and soul of our family. She raised my sister and me as a single mother, and her devotion to her children combined with her incredible work ethic allowed us to accomplish our dreams of becoming an architect and a scientist. She has always been there for us, no matter what. We want to do everything we can to support her and help her receive the best medical care possible. Unfortunately, my mom's treatment is expensive, and since she has lost her income, we are struggling to afford it. Reducing her pain and giving her the best care is our top priority, so we’ve decided to ask for people's generosity to help Brenda.

Any amount, no matter how small, would be greatly appreciated. Your donations will help cover my mom's medical expenses and allow her to get the care she needs. If you are unable to donate at this time, we understand. Please consider sharing this post with your network to help us spread the word.

Thank you in advance for your generosity and kindness. It means the world to us!

Sincerely,

David Larios & Family

**EDIT**

We are really humbled by the overwhelming support we’ve received! I will be reaching out to everybody personally to say thanks for helping us reach our $5000 goal. This will ensure the best care for my mom. I’m sure she’d be hugely grateful. I’d like to mention that after thorough consideration, we decided to increase the goal to $6000. We are not sure how long she’ll be with us, but the extra funds will be very helpful in case this time goes beyond what doctors expect. Thank you!