My mother, Nancy, has always been the heart and soul of our family. For over 20 years, she worked at Ronald McDonald House, dedicating herself to helping families facing cancer. Every year, she traveled to Colombia to care for her elderly mother—not only to be there for her, but also to support her brother, who is the primary caretaker and needs to work as much as he can. When my father was hospitalized in 2020 and left partially disabled, Nancy stepped up to care for him while working long hours to support us. Now that she is sick, my father helps as much as he can, but not to the capacity she really needs. Nancy’s dedication to others is unmatched—she never complained, always adapting and bringing strength to those around her.
About 8 months ago, Nancy began experiencing rashes, hives, and a sudden inability to eat most foods. For the most part, she could only eat eggs and drink water, as anything else made her feel sick. Despite our concerns, her primary care doctor seemed to have tunnel vision and focused only on treating her “allergies,” dismissing deeper concerns. I pushed for more testing, but our worries were not taken seriously. As a result, Nancy lost significant weight and became extremely weak. This delay in diagnosis meant that by the time she was finally evaluated further, she was diagnosed with stage 4 T cell lymphoma, a severe and aggressive blood cancer.
Nancy was recently diagnosed and will now undergo chemotherapy in the hospital 5 days a week, every 3 weeks, for 6 cycles. Her condition is unstable, and multiple healthcare professionals have recommended that she stay in a skilled nursing facility or, at the very least, have a home nurse to provide round-the-clock care. Unfortunately, her insurance company has refused to cover the cost of a facility, and getting additional help has been a difficult journey. To make matters worse, her employer may have to terminate her due to her inability to work during treatment, which means she could lose her insurance coverage by May 1st, 2026. This is not out of malice, but an unfortunate circumstance since she is unable to qualify for family medical leave after using it to care for her mother.
With my mother unable to work and my father’s disability income not nearly enough to cover our expenses, we are facing an overwhelming financial burden. The funds raised will go toward her medical treatment, skilled nursing facility costs, and essential living expenses like rent, utilities, groceries, and transportation for regular blood transfusions and chemotherapy. Any help—whether it’s sharing this GoFundMe or making a donation—will relieve stress that could affect my mother’s mental state, which is so important as she fights this aggressive cancer. She is a beacon of light to so many, and seeing the outpouring of love and support from our family and friends has lifted her spirits. My mother has been my biggest support system and I want to support her as much as I can. Thank you for helping us through this difficult journey.
About 8 months ago, Nancy began experiencing rashes, hives, and a sudden inability to eat most foods. For the most part, she could only eat eggs and drink water, as anything else made her feel sick. Despite our concerns, her primary care doctor seemed to have tunnel vision and focused only on treating her “allergies,” dismissing deeper concerns. I pushed for more testing, but our worries were not taken seriously. As a result, Nancy lost significant weight and became extremely weak. This delay in diagnosis meant that by the time she was finally evaluated further, she was diagnosed with stage 4 T cell lymphoma, a severe and aggressive blood cancer.
Nancy was recently diagnosed and will now undergo chemotherapy in the hospital 5 days a week, every 3 weeks, for 6 cycles. Her condition is unstable, and multiple healthcare professionals have recommended that she stay in a skilled nursing facility or, at the very least, have a home nurse to provide round-the-clock care. Unfortunately, her insurance company has refused to cover the cost of a facility, and getting additional help has been a difficult journey. To make matters worse, her employer may have to terminate her due to her inability to work during treatment, which means she could lose her insurance coverage by May 1st, 2026. This is not out of malice, but an unfortunate circumstance since she is unable to qualify for family medical leave after using it to care for her mother.
With my mother unable to work and my father’s disability income not nearly enough to cover our expenses, we are facing an overwhelming financial burden. The funds raised will go toward her medical treatment, skilled nursing facility costs, and essential living expenses like rent, utilities, groceries, and transportation for regular blood transfusions and chemotherapy. Any help—whether it’s sharing this GoFundMe or making a donation—will relieve stress that could affect my mother’s mental state, which is so important as she fights this aggressive cancer. She is a beacon of light to so many, and seeing the outpouring of love and support from our family and friends has lifted her spirits. My mother has been my biggest support system and I want to support her as much as I can. Thank you for helping us through this difficult journey.
Organizer and beneficiary
Nancy Centeno
Beneficiary