Support Javi's Fight Against Leukemia

Dear friends, community and kind-hearted people,

My name is Lauren and our dear friends Jon and Kirstie need our support. Jon and Kirstie are active, generous members of the Winnipeg community and give so much of themselves to others.

We are reaching out to you today with a heartfelt plea for assistance as Kirstie and Jon received the their son's Javi, has leukemia. In the family's words:

"We received the worst news of our life on the morning of Saturday, April 27. Our two-year-old Javi Russell Ventura was diagnosed with leukemia, a rare form of blood cancer.

Javi was initially diagnosed with gastroenteritis after visiting the children’s emergency room a few weeks ago. Persistent pain led us to visit our pediatrician, and investigations and testing led to inconclusive results.

Finally on the evening of April 26, we decided to go back to emergency after a rough day of pain. After further blood tests, it was revealed on Saturday that Javi has Leukemia in his blood.

Since then, it has been constant stream of needles, pain, and procedures for our little baby who has been so strong and brave during this very confusing time."

Javi has already started treatment, undergoing a bone marrow aspiration, spinal tap and receiving a central IV line or PICC on Sunday, April 28th so he doesn't have to be poked several times a day.

Javi is the sweetest, most observant little boy. He is intelligent and loves to chat in Spanish and English. Even through his pain, he has been winning over the hearts of his caregivers at the hospital with "thank yous" to all the nurses, doctors, and staff who help him.

Over the next three years Javi will continue to receive chemotherapy but the first 6 months will be the most intense.

Both Jon and Kirstie are Javi's primary caregivers. Jon works part-time and Kirstie's vegan food truck Bright Side Kitchen is a seasonal business. Understandably, while treatment gets underway and Javi adapts, they will need to be with their son, putting work on hiatus.

We are starting this GoFundMe campaign to support the family through this incredibly difficult time. Your generous donations will go directly to Jon, Kirstie and Javi and support their basic living expenses over the next 6 months. Every contribution, no matter how small, will make a significant impact.

This news is absolutely crushing and has left Jon and Kirstie with so much to grapple with in a short amount of time. Let's come together as a community and show our support for their gorgeous family. Share this campaign with your friends, family, and social networks to spread the word and help them get the assistance they need.

A note from Jon and Kirstie:

"Javi means the world to us. He is the sweetest boy and loves everyone. He is very much our baby boy who loves animals, playing make believe, going for walks with his little red wagon, dancing and singing.

We are inconsolable with this news but we remain strong for our little boy. This is something no child should have to go through at such a young age.

We want to thank everyone for their support and words of strength that help us feel strong enough to fight this rare form of cancer.

The team at the hospital has been absolutely incredible and caring. Thank you to Dr. Oberoi for leading our cancer care and to the doctors, nurses and hospital staff for their kind and gentle care for Javi."

Thank you for your compassion, generosity, and for being a source of strength for Javi and his family in their time of need.

Note: I have obtained the family's consent to share their story and start this campaign on their behalf.