My name is Rene. My whole life, I've had health issues, causing my sons and myself hardship. We've always been able to overcome and get through it somehow. Recently, that is no longer the case. My health issues have worsened and I was diagnosed with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (a rare disease that causes high blood pressure in the heart, leading to heart failure). By itself, it is detrimental and devastating to any family. This has caused me to become permanently disabled, giving up my career and livelihood.

As this disease has progressed, it's caused major complications and worsening new diagnoses, from kidney disease, iron-deficiency anemia, pulmonary edema, lupus, severe immune deficiency, and Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease, which is a disease that causes pulmonary veins to become blocked, leading to respiratory failure. There is no medicine or cure for this. The only alternative is a double lung and heart transplant (due to the heart failure). Because of the complexity of my situation, I'm unable to have adequate care. I've been lucky enough to find an amazing team of doctors at UCLA Medical Center. So, constant travel and this is a journey and fight I can't afford to lose. My sons are counting on me and on them. This isn't something I or they can face alone. We've come to the point that is beyond struggling. With the medications, treatments, and constant hospitalizations, we realize we need help. Supporting each other emotionally and financially has been draining, to say the least. But it is nothing compared to the fear of losing their mom, or me losing my sons. We're asking for any type of help, because everything matters. Whether it's prayer, thoughts, sharing, or financial. We need your help. We can't do this alone. If you can help in any way, it would mean the world to us.