**UPDATE**

Esther is home recovering, however she still has a long road ahead of her. Months of chemo will resume after her staples are removed on July 12th. She will also have to have brain irradiation, to lower the chances of a recurrence during the next few weeks. This all will entail months of traveling back and forth to appointments, care at home, and incurred medical expenses. Any help is appreciated, even a share! As always, we thank you for your support and for your prayers!

My name is Belinda Orozco-Araujo. I have created this page in hopes of helping my cousin, Esther Rangel, lessen some of the burden her family has been carrying since early this year.

In February, she was taken to the ER and after several tests, she was immediately hospitalized to biopsy an intestinal mass that was found to be colon cancer. Chemotherapy was started shortly thereafter, and plans were made for major surgery to happen in late May. A week before, she was hospitalized once again due to a blockage. On May 16th she had to have emergency surgery. This major surgery entailed not only removal of the colon mass, but also a portion of her diaphragm, which led to the last month of a very slow recovery. The plan was to restart chemo in a couple of weeks.

Last week she started having neurological symptoms. After a few days, she was back in the ER and a scan revealed a small brain mass. The only option is to remove it, which she will happen next Thursday. This is yet another major surgery, lasting anywhere from 4 to 6 hours. The tumor will have to be biopsied to determine if it is metastatic (spread) from the colon cancer.

Those of us closest to her are hopeful and praying for a complete healing. So far, Esther and her family have been making ends meet, but all of these hospitalizations have placed her in Temple, miles away from her girls. They are two young ladies trying to juggle the sudden responsibility of caring for a household and their mom, as well as being a big support to their grandmother.

All funds raised will go directly to the family to help with medical costs not covered, transportation, meals, and any household expenses incurred.

I want to thank each of you in advance for any gift you can give, and kindly ask for your prayers for Esther and her family, especially her girls and her mom, who she was primary caregiver to. God bless each of you tenfold!

We love you, Esther!