Our friend needs help

We are the Rivera family and we are raising money for the amazing woman who made our family possible. Seventeen years ago, she offered to donate her eggs to help us start a family. At a time when the standard donation to an egg donor was $5,000, she wouldn’t accept any money. We are so grateful for everything she has done for us and we know we are not the only ones who have benefited from her generosity. She will give and give and give whenever someone in need crosses her path.

Besides being so kind and caring, Belinda is a loving mother who raised two wonderful sons on her own. She is also a hardworking mediator and small business owner.

Unfortunately, her income has taken a hit due to chronic acute pancreatitis (and skin cancer) hitting shortly after she helped her son survive a rare form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She spent the last few years doing everything she could to stabilize her medical condition, even while working through severe pain and nausea. Although she’s gotten to a place where she is medically stable, the situation has left her financially on the edge. A few surprise expenses and a few lost clients have put her into an emergency situation.

Our goal is to keep Belinda from being homeless so she can get through this final push to fully get back on her feet again.

Yes, we have been helping her financially quite a bit during this time, but due to a societal narrative that says you are “less than” if you are not financially independent, she was reluctant to give us the full story until recently and we don’t have enough right now to help enough.

Because Belinda is self-employed, she doesn’t qualify for many benefits she may have otherwise had access to. On the plus side, her business is successful and there will always be a need for her services. (Among other things, she helps couples negotiate and file a divorce with no lawyers involved.) Working for herself also allows her the flexibility to work around her chronic illness. Further, the stress of living day to day wondering if she will be able to make basic expenses or even replace her toothbrush, takes its own toll on her health. Getting through this emergency and rebuilding her client base is the best long-term solution.

Please donate if you can.

Thank you for your kindness. If you have any questions or reservations about helping, please let us know.