Hi everyone,

My name is Lena Huynh, and I'm a first-year dental student at the University of Florida. I'm starting this GoFundMe for my dad, who is 60 years old and preparing to undergo a life-saving bone marrow transplant after being diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer called myelofibrosis.

For as long as I can remember, my dad has been sick.

I remember being in middle school when I first began to understand the seriousness of my dad's condition. I broke down crying, unable to understand how someone who had worked so hard his entire life, who had sacrificed so much for his family, could be diagnosed with something so terrible. At that age, I didn't fully understand his illness, but I understood how scared I was of losing him.

My dad immigrated to Gainesville, Florida, in 1986, hoping to build a better life for himself and his family. He worked tirelessly for decades, often putting everyone else's needs before his own. No matter how exhausted he was or how much he was struggling with his health, he always made sure our family was taken care of. Growing up, I watched him work through challenges without complaining, and his resilience became one of my biggest inspirations to pursue a career in science.

In 2010, he was first diagnosed with essential thrombocythemia. In 2019, his health declined to the point where he could no longer work due to the same blood disorder. Since then, my mom has been our family's primary source of income, working 12-hour days as a nail technician to keep our household afloat.

For years, we lived with the uncertainty of his condition, hoping that his health would remain stable.

But in the summer of 2026, just one month before I was supposed to begin dental school, everything changed.

I was sitting beside my dad in an appointment room at Mayo Clinic when his doctors explained that his condition had progressed into myelofibrosis, a rare and serious form of blood cancer. They told us that without a bone marrow transplant, he might only have one to three years left to live.

I remember breaking down in that room.

All I could think about was how unfair it felt. My dad had spent his entire life working to give me opportunities he never had. He supported me through every milestone, every challenge, and every dream I had of becoming a dentist. And suddenly, I was faced with the possibility that the person who helped me get this far might not be here to see me receive my white coat or graduate from dental school.

I had spent years looking forward to starting dental school, and now one of the happiest milestones of my life was overshadowed by the fear of losing my dad.

It was heartbreaking to think that after everything he had sacrificed to help me build my future, he might not get the chance to be part of it.

Despite how devastating this news was, we knew we had to keep fighting.

Finding a medical team that could treat his condition was difficult, especially in Gainesville. Thankfully, we found an incredible team at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, who gave us hope when we needed it most.

And after so much uncertainty, we received the news we had been praying for: my dad found a matching bone marrow donor.

For the first time in a long time, we felt hopeful about his future.

However, while finding a donor has given my dad a chance at life, our family is now facing an overwhelming financial burden.

My mom has worked tirelessly to support us since my dad stopped working in 2019. As a nail technician, she spends nearly 12 hours a day on her feet, doing everything she can to make ends meet. Even with her long hours, our family has struggled financially.

Now, as my dad prepares for his transplant, my mom will have to stop working for several months to become his full-time caregiver. My dad will need to stay in Jacksonville near Mayo Clinic for an extended period during his recovery, and we are hoping to arrange accommodations at Gabriel House, a nearby lodging facility for patients and their families.

During this time, neither of my parents will be able to work, leaving our household without a steady source of income.

In addition to the transplant-related medical expenses, we will need to cover temporary housing, transportation, groceries, and a secondary caregiver to help care for my dad if my mom becomes sick or is unable to be there. At the same time, the bills back home in Gainesville won't stop.

As their only daughter, watching my parents go through this has been one of the most difficult experiences of my life.

I'm currently in my first year of dental school, pursuing a dream that my parents have worked their entire lives to make possible. Between tuition, student loans, and my own living expenses, I'm not in a financial position to help them nearly as much as I wish I could.

My parents have never asked me for anything. In fact, even through everything they're going through, they still worry more about my education and well-being than their own struggles.

They have spent my entire life taking care of me, and now, more than anything, I want to be able to take care of them.

That's why I'm starting this GoFundMe.

All donations will go toward helping my family with the financial challenges surrounding my dad's bone marrow transplant and recovery, including: Temporary housing in Jax, Caregiver expenses, Transportation, Food and daily necessities, Household and medical bills.

I know a donation cannot take away my dad's diagnosis or guarantee that everything will be okay. But it can help lift some of the financial stress my parents have been carrying for years and allow them to focus on what matters most: giving my dad the best possible chance at recovery.

My dad has spent nearly 40 years building a life for our family in Gainesville. He has worked so hard and sacrificed so much, often forgetting to take care of himself because he was too busy taking care of everyone else.

I don't want him to spend this next chapter of his life worrying about how we're going to pay our bills. I want him to focus on getting better, spending time with our family, and looking forward to the future.

More than anything, I want my dad to be there when I receive my white coat. I want him to see me walk across the stage at graduation and become the dentist he always believed I could be. I want him to know that every sacrifice he made for our family was worth it.

And most of all, I want him to have more time to enjoy the life he worked so hard to build.

If you're able to donate, no matter the amount, it would mean more to our family than I can express. And if donating isn't possible, sharing our story would be just as appreciated.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading our story, for your kindness, and for giving my family hope during one of the hardest times of our lives.

With love and gratitude,

Lena & Huynh Family ❤️