Please Help Joey
Donation protected
Hello,
I would like to ask for your kindness and generosity in helping Joey, my 19-year old son. Below is a short letter he wrote. It will also be helpful if you can share our story.
I'm Joey Covarrubias and I am 19 years old. As far as I can remember I have always loved basketball, I began playing it since I was 4 years old. I've played throughout elementary, jr. high and high school and my ultimate dream was to play college ball.
During my senior year of high school I was able to grab a scholarship, and was on my way to reaching my goal. Little did I know that I'd hit a road block. About a month before senior year was over I went to the doctor because of something I felt in my chest when I breathed in, and that's when I received life changing news. After an x-ray the Dr. told me that I had liquid in my lung and that I would need a cat-scan to determine if it was just liquid or blood.
The next day I went to the hospital, did the cat-scan and when the results came back, he said it was blood and that my lung needed to be drained. They scheduled me for surgery, and I was admitted to the hospital to have the blood drained. The morning of the surgery, about an hour before, the Dr. called and spoke to my mom saying that he was not comfortable "going in" because he had taken a closer look at my cat-scan and x-ray and found that the liquid looked more like a mass and he wanted to conduct a biopsy. He did, and my life turned upside down when he came back to my room and said they found a tumor between my lung and my chest cavity wall...and it was malignant.
He explained to me that I had Ewing Sarcoma, which is a rare type of cancer mostly found in children. I was stunned to say the least. The Dr. explained to me that this type of cancer is a "tough road" to recovery but that it was possible and that he felt that I would be okay, but to understand that the process would be a difficult one. He said I needed to be in a good state of mind. Thats easier said than done, but what choice do I have?
I've been referred to UCLA for further testing to see what my plan will be. My faith in God will get me through this, and I have been lucky to receive a tremendous amount of support from friends and family. What I've learned so far in such a short time is the amazing people out there who are so willing to help, and to you I say thank you.
I would like to ask for your kindness and generosity in helping Joey, my 19-year old son. Below is a short letter he wrote. It will also be helpful if you can share our story.
I'm Joey Covarrubias and I am 19 years old. As far as I can remember I have always loved basketball, I began playing it since I was 4 years old. I've played throughout elementary, jr. high and high school and my ultimate dream was to play college ball.
During my senior year of high school I was able to grab a scholarship, and was on my way to reaching my goal. Little did I know that I'd hit a road block. About a month before senior year was over I went to the doctor because of something I felt in my chest when I breathed in, and that's when I received life changing news. After an x-ray the Dr. told me that I had liquid in my lung and that I would need a cat-scan to determine if it was just liquid or blood.
The next day I went to the hospital, did the cat-scan and when the results came back, he said it was blood and that my lung needed to be drained. They scheduled me for surgery, and I was admitted to the hospital to have the blood drained. The morning of the surgery, about an hour before, the Dr. called and spoke to my mom saying that he was not comfortable "going in" because he had taken a closer look at my cat-scan and x-ray and found that the liquid looked more like a mass and he wanted to conduct a biopsy. He did, and my life turned upside down when he came back to my room and said they found a tumor between my lung and my chest cavity wall...and it was malignant.
He explained to me that I had Ewing Sarcoma, which is a rare type of cancer mostly found in children. I was stunned to say the least. The Dr. explained to me that this type of cancer is a "tough road" to recovery but that it was possible and that he felt that I would be okay, but to understand that the process would be a difficult one. He said I needed to be in a good state of mind. Thats easier said than done, but what choice do I have?
I've been referred to UCLA for further testing to see what my plan will be. My faith in God will get me through this, and I have been lucky to receive a tremendous amount of support from friends and family. What I've learned so far in such a short time is the amazing people out there who are so willing to help, and to you I say thank you.
Organizer
Joey Covarrubias Nancy Vitela
Organizer
Cerritos, CA
