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Support Gustavo's Fight Against Mantle Cell Lymphoma
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$30,090 raised of $50K
166 donations
In late May, my brother-in-law Gustavo was diagnosed with Stage 4 Mantle Cell Lymphoma after an emergency appendectomy showed lymphoma in his intestinal tract. Mantle Cell is a rare type of blood cancer which makes up 6% of all lymphoma cases in the world.
As you can imagine, this news was not only shocking but devastating, as he and my sister Lauren were just three months away from welcoming their second daughter.
The Treatment Plan
Gustavo's initial treatment plan will be 6 rounds of intensive chemotherapy, alternating outpatient and inpatient, followed by additional testing that will indicate what comes next - either a bone marrow transplant or maintenance chemotherapy. As of today, lymphoma cannot be cured. It is our hope that this treatment will put Gustavo into remission and give him many years to enjoy his life before he has to think about this again. Treatment will start in September.
How can you help?
Gustavo and Lauren are ready for this fight (on most days), but this will be very tough for the six months ahead. We are asking for your help in making this not just "survivable" for them - we'd like to give them peace of mind by taking some of the day-to-day anxieties and concerns off their plates so that they can focus caring for themselves and their family.
- Donate Money :: This is the most important way you can help, as this will supplement the income they will lose during this treatment and make it possible for Lauren to extend her leave time beyond her maternity leave. It will also help defray large medical bills and be used to outsource everyday things like laundry, cleaning, groceries, etc.
- Cook or send them a meal through Meal Train :: https://mealtrain.com/17m25w
- Offer to Help :: If you would like to offer to help them with household tasks (laundry, cleaning, etc.), please email me (Michelle)
Thank you for your generosity, prayers, and encouragement. We look forward to sharing the news when Gustavo's scans are clear and he is in remission!
Introducing The Veras Family
For those of you who do not know them, Gustavo and Lauren Veras live near Charlotte, NC with their girls, Camille (4) and Iris (3 weeks). Gustavo was born in Brazil and became a US citizen in 2020. He is a roofing estimator and enjoys his work and his company. Lauren was born in Charlotte and since her schooling at UNC Chapel Hill, she has dedicated her life to service in the public school system. She has a huge heart for Title I schools and worked hard to receive her Masters degree, now serving as a middle school Assistant Principal in Union County Schools. They were married in 2016 and will celebrate their 8th wedding anniversary this October. Camille is a brilliant, spunky little lady and Iris is healthy and getting bigger by the day!
